Abstract
Early myoclonus in comatose survivors of cardiac arrest, even when it is not myoclonic status epilepticus (MSE), is considered a sign of severe global brain ischemia and has been associated with high rates of mortality and poor neurologic outcomes. We report on three survivors of primary circulatory cardiac arrests who had good neurologic outcomes (two patients with a CPC score=1 and one patient with a CPC score=2) after mild therapeutic hypothermia, despite exhibiting massive myoclonus within the first 4. h after return of spontaneous circulation. The concept that early myoclonus heralds a uniformly poor prognosis may need to be reconsidered in the era of post-cardiac arrest mild therapeutic hypothermia.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 265-269 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | Resuscitation |
Volume | 83 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Feb 2012 |
Keywords
- Cardiac arrest
- Myoclonus
- Therapeutic hypothermia
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Emergency Medicine
- Emergency
- Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine