TY - JOUR
T1 - Survival in cancer patients after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest
AU - Hwang, Jessica P.
AU - Patlan, John
AU - De Achaval, Sofia
AU - Escalante, Carmen P.
PY - 2010/1
Y1 - 2010/1
N2 - Background: The survival of cancer patients who undergo cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) after in-hospital cardiac arrest is poor. The survival of cancer patients who undergo CPR after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is unknown. We sought to determine survival rates in such patients and to identify phrases in patient charts that might have prompted end-of-life discussions. Methods: We performed a retrospective review of patients who had CPR in our Emergency Center after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in 2000-2002, including an in-depth chart review of outpatient clinic visits by these patients in the 3 months preceding cardiac arrest. Results: Of the 41 patients who had CPR in the Emergency Center, 18 (43%) had return of spontaneous circulation and were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). Seven patients were subsequently discharged alive to another facility. Only two (4.9%) of the 41 patients in our series were discharged alive to their home. More than half of the study patients had at least one clinic note that mentioned "disease progression" (n∈=∈23), 44% mentioned "poor prognosis" (n∈=∈18), and 27% mentioned "poor response" (n∈=∈11). Conclusions: Survival of cancer patients who underwent CPR after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest was poor. Medical providers should consider discussing end-of-life issues, including out-of-hospital do-not-resuscitate orders, in the outpatient clinic setting with cancer patients nearing the end of life.
AB - Background: The survival of cancer patients who undergo cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) after in-hospital cardiac arrest is poor. The survival of cancer patients who undergo CPR after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is unknown. We sought to determine survival rates in such patients and to identify phrases in patient charts that might have prompted end-of-life discussions. Methods: We performed a retrospective review of patients who had CPR in our Emergency Center after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in 2000-2002, including an in-depth chart review of outpatient clinic visits by these patients in the 3 months preceding cardiac arrest. Results: Of the 41 patients who had CPR in the Emergency Center, 18 (43%) had return of spontaneous circulation and were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). Seven patients were subsequently discharged alive to another facility. Only two (4.9%) of the 41 patients in our series were discharged alive to their home. More than half of the study patients had at least one clinic note that mentioned "disease progression" (n∈=∈23), 44% mentioned "poor prognosis" (n∈=∈18), and 27% mentioned "poor response" (n∈=∈11). Conclusions: Survival of cancer patients who underwent CPR after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest was poor. Medical providers should consider discussing end-of-life issues, including out-of-hospital do-not-resuscitate orders, in the outpatient clinic setting with cancer patients nearing the end of life.
KW - Advance care planning
KW - Cancer
KW - Cardiopulmonary resuscitation
KW - Sudden cardiac death
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U2 - 10.1007/s00520-009-0629-z
DO - 10.1007/s00520-009-0629-z
M3 - Article
C2 - 19350284
AN - SCOPUS:71349088541
SN - 0941-4355
VL - 18
SP - 51
EP - 55
JO - Supportive Care in Cancer
JF - Supportive Care in Cancer
IS - 1
ER -