FAMILY BURDEN AFTER OUR-OF-HOSPITAL CARDIAC ARREST IN CHILDREN

Meert KL, Slomine BS, Christensen JR, et al. Pediatr Crit Care Med. 2016;6(17):498-507.

In this secondary analysis of data from the Therapeutic Hypothermia after Pediatric Cardiac Arrest Out-of-Hospital trial, researchers sought to describe family burden among caregivers of children who survived out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and who were at a high risk for neurologic disability and examine relationships between family burden, child functioning, and other factors during the first year of postarrest.

Family burden (n = 77) was assessed at baseline and 3 and 12 months post arrest on children who had normal prearrest neurological functioning and were alive 1 year post arrest. Worse pediatric overall performance category and pediatric cerebral performance category, lower adaptive behavior, lower global functioning, and higher family burden all measured 3 months post arrest were associated with higher family burden 12 months post arrest (P < .05).

Researchers concluded that families who have children who survived out of hospital and have a high risk for neurological disability often experience substantial burden during the first year post arrest.