OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate whether out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) may induce severe DNA damage measured using comet assay in successfully resuscitated humans and to evaluate a short-term prognostic role. METHODS: In this prospective, controlled, blinded study (1/2013-1/2014), 41 patients (age, 63±14 years) successfully resuscitated from non traumatic OHCA and 10 healthy controls (age, 53±17 years) were enrolled. DNA damage [double-strand breaks (DSBs) and single-strand breaks (SSBs)] was measured using comet assay in peripheral lymphocytes sampled at admission. Clinical data were recorded (according to Utstein style). A good short-term prognosis was defined as survival for 30 days. RESULTS: Among the patients, there were 71% (29/41) short-term survivors. After OHCA, DNA damage (DSBs and SSBs) was higher (11.0±7.6% and 0.79±2.41% in tail) among patients than among controls (1.96±1.63% and 0.02±0.03% in tail), and it was more apparent for DSBs (p<0.001 and p=0.085). There was no difference in the DNA damage between patients with cardiac and non-cardiac etiology, or between survivors and nonsurvivors. Among Utstein style parameters, ventricular fibrillation, asystole, and early electrical defibrillation influenced DSBs; none of the factors influenced SSBs. Factors influencing survival were SSBs, ventricular fibrillation, length of cardiopulmonary resuscitation by professionals ≤15 min, cardiogenic shock, and postanoxic encephalopathy. In contrast to DSBs [area under the curve (AUC)=0.520], SSBs seem to have a potential in prognostication (AUC=0.639). CONCLUSION: This study for the first time demonstrates revelation of DNA damage using comet assay in patients successfully resuscitated from OHCA. Whether DNA damage measured using comet assay may be a prognostic marker remains unknown, although our data may encourage some suggestions.

1st Department of Internal Medicine Cardioangiology University Hospital Hradec Králové Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Králové Charles University Prague

Hradec Králové Czech Republic

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