title: Relevance of cognition to health-related quality of life in good-outcome survivors of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  For survivors of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) with good outcomes, it is not known whether and how health-related quality of life is affected by the cognitive impairments frequently observed in these patients. This study explores how neuropsychological tests of memory, exe-cutive and psychomotor functioning relate to the physical and mental aspects of health-related quality of life in functionally independent and community dwelling OHCA survivors discharged early from hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 42 adult survivors (mean age 62 years, 38 males). Health-related quality of life was measured approximately 3 months post-OHCA with the Medical Outcome Study Short Form 36 (SF-36). Cognition was measured with established neuropsychological tests. Regression analyses were used to examine associations between neuropsychological domains and physical and mental health-related quality of life, respectively, when controlling for age, education and length of coma.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The physical, but not the mental, component of the SF-36 was significantly worse than Norwegian population data. Neuropsychological tests showed frequent impairments most often in the memory domain. Worse psychomotor functioning was associated with worse physical health-related quality of life, whereas worse memory performance was associated with worse mental health-related quality of life.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The cognitive impairments frequently reported in OHCA survivors with good outcomes may compromise health-related quality of life. Cognitive functioning should be addressed even in survivors with rapid recovery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation, Division of Rehabilitation Services, University hospital of North Norway, 9038 Tromsø, Norway. marte.orbo@unn.no, marte.orbo@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Marte
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ørbo
authors.forename: Per M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Aslaksen
authors.forename: Kristina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Larsby
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schäfer
authors.forename: Pål M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Tande
authors.forename: Torgil R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Vangberg
authors.forename: Audny
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Anke
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D058687:Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest / Q000523:psychology*; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D011788:Quality of Life; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*