Predicting Neurological Outcome Following Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest (OHCA) by Quantitative Measurement of Serial Serum Biomarkers of Brain Injury.

This study focuses on individuals who experience a cardiac arrest outside of the hospital, a condition known as Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest (OHCA). While some patients regain a heartbeat after aggressive treatment, many face poor outcomes, including low survival rates and potential neurological damage due to lack of oxygen to the brain. Currently, there's no quick, definitive test to predict the neurological outcome for these patients. This research aims to identify biomarkers, or substances in the blood, that could help predict such outcomes, potentially improving care and addressing current challenges in managing OHCA. The study involves a minimal risk procedure where blood samples are taken at various time points after the heartbeat is restored, specifically at 0-59 minutes, and then at 6, 12, 18, 24, 48, 72 hours, and on days 4, 5, and 6. The researchers will examine if the levels of certain biomarkers in these samples correlate with survival to hospital admission, survival to hospital discharge, and neurological function at discharge and after 6 months. The study also includes patients who come to the emergency department with chest pain but not cardiac arrest, to provide a comparative group.