ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To assess survival of patients undergoing cerebral cardiopulmonary resuscitation maneuvers and to identify prognostic factors for short-term survival. METHODS: Prospective study with patients undergoing cardiopulmonary resuscitation maneuvers. RESULTS: The study included 150 patients. Spontaneous circulation was re-established in 88 (58 percent) patients, and 42 (28 percent) were discharged from the hospital. The necessary number of patients treated to save 1 life in 12 months was 3.4. The presence of ventricular fibrillation or tachycardia (VF/VT) as the initial rhythm, shorter times of cardiopulmonary resuscitation maneuvers and cardiopulmonary arrest, and greater values of mean blood pressure (BP) prior to cardiopulmonary arrest were independent variables for re-establishment of spontaneous circulation and hospital discharge. The odds ratios for hospital discharge were as follows: 6.1 (95 percent confidence interval [CI] = 2.7-13.6), when the initial rhythm was VF/VT; 9.4 (95 percent CI = 4.1-21.3), when the time of cerebral cardiopulmonary resuscitation was < 15 min; 9.2 (95 percent CI = 3.9-21.3), when the time of cardiopulmonary arrest was < 20 min; and 5.7 (95 percent CI = 2.4-13.7), when BP was > 70 mmHg. CONCLUSION: The presence of VF/VT as the initial rhythm, shorter times of cerebral cardiopulmonary resuscitation and of cardiopulmonary arrest, and a greater value of BP prior to cardiopulmonary arrest were independent variables of better prognosis