title: Electroencephalography (EEG) for neurological prognostication after cardiac arrest and targeted temperature management; rationale and study design.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Electroencephalography (EEG) is widely used to assess neurological prognosis in patients who are comatose after cardiac arrest, but its value is limited by varying definitions of pathological patterns and by inter-rater variability. The American Clinical Neurophysiology Society (ACNS) has recently proposed a standardized EEG-terminology for critical care to address these limitations.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the TTM-trial, 399 post cardiac arrest patients who remained comatose after rewarming underwent a routine EEG. The presence of clinical seizures, use of sedatives and antiepileptic drugs during the EEG-registration were prospectively documented.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A well-defined terminology for interpreting post cardiac arrest EEGs is critical for the use of EEG as a prognostic tool.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  The TTM-trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01020916).
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Westhall
authors.forename: Ingmar
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Rosén
authors.forename: Andrea O
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Rossetti
authors.forename: Anne-Fleur
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: van Rootselaar
authors.forename: Troels Wesenberg
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Kjaer
authors.forename: Janneke
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Horn
authors.forename: Susann
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ullén
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Friberg
authors.forename: Niklas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cronberg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001831:Body Temperature / Q000502:physiology*; D003128:Coma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000379:methods*; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011379:Prognosis; D012107:Research Design; D012640:Seizures / Q000453:epidemiology