Resuscitation
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Protocol-driven neurological prognostication and withdrawal of life-sustaining therapy after cardiac arrest and targeted temperature management.
Brain injury is reportedly the main cause of death for patients resuscitated after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). However, the majority may actually die following withdrawal of life-sustaining therapy (WLST) with a presumption of poor neurological recovery. We investigated how the protocol for neurological prognostication was used and how related treatment recommendations might have affected WLST decision-making and outcome after OHCA in the targeted temperature management (TTM) trial. ⋯ Delayed prognostication was relevant for a minority of patients and related to subsequent decisions on level-of-care with effects on ICU length-of-stay, survival time and outcome.