Abstract 219: Feasibility and Quality of Rapid Standard EEG Testing in Post Cardiac Arrest Patients

Background: The availability of an objective method to assess ongoing neurologic injury, diagnose evolving neuropathology (e.g. seizures), establish prognosis and track neurological status in the early recovery period after cardiac arrest could lead to better clinical management of the patient. In this study, we sought to demonstrate the feasibility of performing early EEGs in post-cardiac arrest patients. Methods: After obtaining informed consent, we performed 30-minute standard montage EEGs on patients resuscitated from cardiac arrest as close to the time of return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) as clinically allowable at all times and days of the week as part of a multicenter trial. Therapeutic hypothermia data and medical events were recorded. An investigator blinded to the clinical conditions evaluated the EEG data for quality (1 (excellent) — 4 (unusable)). Results: Standard, early, EEG was performed in 52 patients and 41 had therapeutic hypothermia. The mean time from ROSC to EEG was 5.42 ± 1.6 ...