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Cardiac arrest survivors’ self-reported cognitive function, and its association with self-reported health status, psychological distress, and life satisfaction—a Swedish nationwide registry study

Larsson, Karin ; Hjelm, Carina ; Strömberg, Anna ; Israelsson, Johan ; Bremer, Anders ; Agerström, Jens LU ; Carlsson, Nina ; Tsoukala, Dionysia ; Blennow Nordström, Erik LU orcid and Årestedt, Kristofer LU (2025) In Resuscitation 209. p.1-8
Abstract

Aim: Self-reported cognitive function has been described as an important complement to performance-based measurements but has seldom been investigated in cardiac arrest (CA) survivors. Therefore, the aim was to describe self-reported cognitive function and its association with health status, psychological distress, and life satisfaction. 

Methods: This study utilised data from the Swedish Register of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (2018–2021), registered 3–6 months post-CA. Cognitive function was assessed by a single question: “How do you experience your memory, concentration, and/or planning abilities today compared to before the cardiac arrest?”. Health status was measured using the EQ VAS, psychological distress with the... (More)

Aim: Self-reported cognitive function has been described as an important complement to performance-based measurements but has seldom been investigated in cardiac arrest (CA) survivors. Therefore, the aim was to describe self-reported cognitive function and its association with health status, psychological distress, and life satisfaction. 

Methods: This study utilised data from the Swedish Register of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (2018–2021), registered 3–6 months post-CA. Cognitive function was assessed by a single question: “How do you experience your memory, concentration, and/or planning abilities today compared to before the cardiac arrest?”. Health status was measured using the EQ VAS, psychological distress with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and overall life satisfaction with the Life Satisfaction checklist. Data were analysed using binary logistic regression.

Results: Among 4026 identified survivors, 1254 fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The mean age was 65.9 years (SD = 13.4) and 31.7% were female. Self-reported cognitive function among survivors was reported as: ‘Much worse’ by 3.1%, ‘Worse’ by 23.8%, ‘Unchanged’ by 68.3%, ‘Better’ by 3.3%, and ‘Much better’ by 1.5%. Declined cognitive function was associated with lower health status (OR = 2.76, 95% CI = 2.09–3.64), symptoms of anxiety (OR = 3.84, 95% CI = 2.80–5.24) and depression (OR = 4.52, 95% CI = 3.22–6.32), and being dissatisfied with overall life (OR = 2.74, 95% CI = 2.11–3.54). These associations remained significant after age, sex, place of CA, aetiology, initial rhythm, initial witnessed status, and cerebral performance were controlled.

Conclusions: Survivors experiencing declined cognitive function post-CA are at a higher risk of poorer health status, increased psychological distress, and reduced life satisfaction, and these risks should be acknowledged by healthcare professionals.

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Abstract (Swedish)
Aim: Self-reported cognitive function has been described as an important complement to performance-based measurements but has seldom been investigated in cardiac arrest (CA) survivors. Therefore, the aim was to describe self-reported cognitive function and its association with health status, psychological distress, and life satisfaction.

Methods: This study utilised data from the Swedish Register of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (2018–2021), registered 3–6 months post-CA. Cognitive function was assessed by a single question: “How do you experience your memory, concentration, and/or planning abilities today compared to before the cardiac arrest?”. Health status was measured using the EQ VAS, psychological distress with the Hospital... (More)
Aim: Self-reported cognitive function has been described as an important complement to performance-based measurements but has seldom been investigated in cardiac arrest (CA) survivors. Therefore, the aim was to describe self-reported cognitive function and its association with health status, psychological distress, and life satisfaction.

Methods: This study utilised data from the Swedish Register of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (2018–2021), registered 3–6 months post-CA. Cognitive function was assessed by a single question: “How do you experience your memory, concentration, and/or planning abilities today compared to before the cardiac arrest?”. Health status was measured using the EQ VAS, psychological distress with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and overall life satisfaction with the Life Satisfaction checklist. Data were analysed using binary logistic regression.

Results: Among 4026 identified survivors, 1254 fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The mean age was 65.9 years (SD = 13.4) and 31.7% were female. Self-reported cognitive function among survivors was reported as: ‘Much worse’ by 3.1%, ‘Worse’ by 23.8%, ‘Unchanged’ by 68.3%, ‘Better’ by 3.3%, and ‘Much better’ by 1.5%. Declined cognitive function was associated with lower health status (OR = 2.76, 95% CI = 2.09–3.64), symptoms of anxiety (OR = 3.84, 95% CI = 2.80–5.24) and depression (OR = 4.52, 95% CI = 3.22–6.32), and being dissatisfied with overall life (OR = 2.74, 95% CI = 2.11–3.54). These associations remained significant after age, sex, place of CA, aetiology, initial rhythm, initial witnessed status, and cerebral performance were controlled.

Conclusions: Survivors experiencing declined cognitive function post-CA are at a higher risk of poorer health status, increased psychological distress, and reduced life satisfaction, and these risks should be acknowledged by healthcare professionals. (Less)
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author
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Cognitive function, Health status, Heart arrest, Life satisfaction, Psychological distress, Registry study, cognitive function, health status, heart arrest, life satisfaction, psychological distress, registry study
in
Resuscitation
volume
209
article number
110550
pages
1 - 8
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • pmid:39970976
  • scopus:85219138153
ISSN
0300-9572
DOI
10.1016/j.resuscitation.2025.110550
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
We are grateful to all the survivors contributing their experiences to the SRCR. We would like to acknowledge the cardiac rehabilitation nurses and resuscitation coordinators who are collecting and entering variables into the registry.
id
a3b6279f-8b03-4f06-a7c3-917550fe9b05
date added to LUP
2025-04-10 13:30:13
date last changed
2025-07-04 09:47:37
@article{a3b6279f-8b03-4f06-a7c3-917550fe9b05,
  abstract     = {{<p>Aim: Self-reported cognitive function has been described as an important complement to performance-based measurements but has seldom been investigated in cardiac arrest (CA) survivors. Therefore, the aim was to describe self-reported cognitive function and its association with health status, psychological distress, and life satisfaction. </p><p>Methods: This study utilised data from the Swedish Register of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (2018–2021), registered 3–6 months post-CA. Cognitive function was assessed by a single question: “How do you experience your memory, concentration, and/or planning abilities today compared to before the cardiac arrest?”. Health status was measured using the EQ VAS, psychological distress with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and overall life satisfaction with the Life Satisfaction checklist. Data were analysed using binary logistic regression.</p><p>Results: Among 4026 identified survivors, 1254 fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The mean age was 65.9 years (SD = 13.4) and 31.7% were female. Self-reported cognitive function among survivors was reported as: ‘Much worse’ by 3.1%, ‘Worse’ by 23.8%, ‘Unchanged’ by 68.3%, ‘Better’ by 3.3%, and ‘Much better’ by 1.5%. Declined cognitive function was associated with lower health status (OR = 2.76, 95% CI = 2.09–3.64), symptoms of anxiety (OR = 3.84, 95% CI = 2.80–5.24) and depression (OR = 4.52, 95% CI = 3.22–6.32), and being dissatisfied with overall life (OR = 2.74, 95% CI = 2.11–3.54). These associations remained significant after age, sex, place of CA, aetiology, initial rhythm, initial witnessed status, and cerebral performance were controlled.</p><p>Conclusions: Survivors experiencing declined cognitive function post-CA are at a higher risk of poorer health status, increased psychological distress, and reduced life satisfaction, and these risks should be acknowledged by healthcare professionals.</p>}},
  author       = {{Larsson, Karin and Hjelm, Carina and Strömberg, Anna and Israelsson, Johan and Bremer, Anders and Agerström, Jens and Carlsson, Nina and Tsoukala, Dionysia and Blennow Nordström, Erik and Årestedt, Kristofer}},
  issn         = {{0300-9572}},
  keywords     = {{Cognitive function; Health status; Heart arrest; Life satisfaction; Psychological distress; Registry study; cognitive function; health status; heart arrest; life satisfaction; psychological distress; registry study}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{1--8}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Resuscitation}},
  title        = {{Cardiac arrest survivors’ self-reported cognitive function, and its association with self-reported health status, psychological distress, and life satisfaction—a Swedish nationwide registry study}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.resuscitation.2025.110550}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.resuscitation.2025.110550}},
  volume       = {{209}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}