title: Outcome from therapeutic hypothermia and EEG.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study is to characterize the significance of EEG findings during therapeutic hypothermia.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors retrospectively reviewed continuous EEG monitoring data of every patient treated with therapeutic hypothermia after cardiac arrest from January 2008 to December 2009. EEG data were correlated with a functional outcome at the time of discharge.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data from 26 patients (14 men and 12 women) were reviewed. All the patients were treated with therapeutic hypothermia. The mean age was 60.3 years. The initial EEG background was severely depressed in 13 patients, suppression-burst pattern was present in 4 patients, alpha or theta coma pattern was present in 2 patients, generalized slow-wave activity was present in 3 patients, and generalized periodic epileptiform discharges were present in 4 patients. Epileptiform activity was present in 10 patients (38.5%). Initial background activity with generalized slow-wave activity correlated with better prognosis compared with other types of background activity (P = 0.017).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The majority of patients (20 of 26) had poor outcomes despite therapeutic hypothermia. Continuous EEG background with generalized slow-wave activity correlated with survival and better prognosis in this study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, The Methodist Neurological Institute, Houston, Texas 77030, USA. mkawai@tmhs.org
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kawai
authors.forename: Usha
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Thapalia
authors.forename: Amit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Verma
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D058256:Brain Waves; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003128:Coma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D003243:Consciousness; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007036:Hypothermia, Induced; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013781:Texas; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome