Hypothermia after cardiac arrest study group. NEJM 2002.

Paper type

Multi-centre randomised controlled trial

Reference

The hypothermia After Cardiac Arrest Study Group.
Mild Therapeutic Hypothermia To Improve Neurologic Outcome After Cardiac Arrest.  NEJM 2002 346;8:549-56

For survivors of witnessed out-of-hospital cardiac arrests, 24 hours of therapeutic hypothermia improved both mortality (NNT 7), and morbidity (NNT 6 for good neurological outcome). There was no increase in complication rates attributable to hypothermia.

• PubMed Abstract
• Scottish Intensive Care Society CAT review of paper

Point for discussion:

Exactly when should the targeted hypothermia be started? And how? And for how long?