Changes in health status and health related quality of life from six months to five years in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survivors - A NORCAST sub study

Background: Brain injury in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) survivors affects health status and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). It is unknown how HRQoL evolves over time, and assessments at different time points may lead to different results.

Methods: In a NORCAST sub study, OHCA survivors eligible for health status (EQ-5D-3L) and HRQoL (SF-36) assessments were examinated six months and five years after OHCA. At five-year follow-up, survivors also retrospectively assessed their health status for each consecutive year following OHCA. The next of kin independently assessed health status and HRQoL of their respective OHCA survivors.

Results: Among 138 survivors alive after six months and 117 after five years, 80 (88% male) completed both follow-ups. Health status and HRQoL remained stable over time, except for increasing SF-36 mental summary score and decreasing physical functioning and physical component score. Anxiety and depression levels were generally low, although younger survivors stated more anxiety than older survivors. Retrospective assessment showed reduced health status for the first two years, which increased only from the third year. Explorative analyses revealed that younger age, longer time to return of spontaneous circulation (tROSC) and late awakening affected health status, particularly in the first two years post-arrest.

Conclusions: OHCA survivors showed stable health status and HRQoL with only minor differences between six months and five years. Younger survivors with long tROSC, late awakening, and more anxiety and depression symptoms at six months, had reduced health status the first two years with significant improvements towards the fourth year.