Long-term functional and quality of life outcomes for survivors of asystolic out-of-hospital cardiac arrest

doi:10.1016/j.resuscitation.2026.111165

Acute cardiac care & resuscitationCohort study

Long-term functional and quality of life outcomes for survivors of asystolic out-of-hospital cardiac arrest

ResuscitationPublished 8 Jun 2026

retrospectively analysed
Victorian Ambulance Cardiac Arrest Registry (VACAR)
structured telephone interviews

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Authors' conclusion

Among 12-month survivors of EMS-treated asystolic OHCA, good functional recovery was achieved by only one-third of patients, with most survivors experiencing persistent disability and impaired HRQoL.

Study context

Population: Emergency medical services (EMS)-treated adult patients with asystolic OHCA between 2010 and 2024, excluding arrests witnessed by EMS personnelinitial asystolic OHCA patients with an attempted resuscitation, 83 (0.5%) discharged alive, 70 alive at 12 months, 56 completed follow up
Participants: 16,803 patients

Main finding

As reported in the abstract

Discharged alive

Discharged alive, of the 16,803 initial patients

83 (0.5%)

Observational data: associations, not effects.

Further findings

Twelve-month mortality · 12 months

Twelve-month mortality: 13.3% (95% CI: 7.6-22.7%)
Alive at 12 months, of the 83 discharged alive: 70 (84.3%)

Functional recovery (Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended (GOS-E)) among respondents · 12 months

Good functional recovery (GOS-E ≥7), among respondents: 18 (32.1%)
Vegetative state or severe disability, among respondents: 28 (50.0%)

Living arrangements and EQ-5D full health · 12 months

Living at home without ongoing support: 23 (41.1%)
Full health according to the EQ-5D index: 9 (16.1%)

EQ-5D index and EQ-VAS · 12 months

Median EQ-5D index score: 0.7 (0.5-0.9)
Mean visual analogue scale (VAS), pre-arrest: 70.1
Mean VAS at 12 months (declined significantly): 58.0
VAS decline P: P = 0.003

SF-12 physical and mental health, EQ-VAS and EQ-5D index vs population norms · 12 months

Lower than population norms among survivors

Follow-up completeness · 12 months

Completed follow up, of the 70 alive at 12 months: 56 (80.0%)

Original publication

Long-term functional and quality of life outcomes for survivors of asystolic out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Resuscitation. Published 8 June 2026. doi:10.1016/j.resuscitation.2026.111165

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Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it