Table 1 Studies on long term survival in children after drowning accident
From: Neurologic long term outcome after drowning in children
Study | Design Patient population | Patients (N) | Age | Patient selection | Follow up period | Assessment tool | Conclusion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pearn 1977[40] | Prospective 1971-75 | 54 | Not reported | Freshwater immersion accidents in which consciousness was lost | Median 23 months (3–60 months) | Neurological and neuropsychological testing | 95% of children survived neurologically normal |
Kruus et al. 1979[10] | Prospective 1971-76 | 30 | Median 4 years | Drowned children of whom 28/30 had been resuscitated | Median 22 months (6–58 months) | Neurological and neuropsychological testing of 17 survivors | 13 children with slight neurological deficit and 4 with severe deficit |
Bell et al. 1984[6] | Prospective 1979-83 | 49 | 8-154 months | Drowned children who had been resuscitated by EMS personnel | 8-40 months | Neurological and neuropsychological testing of 7 apparently intact survivors | Long-term survivors had nearly normal levels of cognitive function |
Bratton et al. 1994[11] | Retrospective 1986-91 | 44 | Median 28 months (8 mo-14 yrs) | Children admitted to PICU after warm drowning, 43/44 received CPR at the scene | Minimum of 6 months | A discussion with child’s physician or chart review | 17/44 (39%) had normal functioning or mild neurological deficit |
Suominen et al 1997[8] | Retrospective 1985-94 | 48 | Median 3.7 years (0.8-15.0 years) | Drowned children who had received ALS at the scene | 1 year | Chart review with POPC | 29/48 (60%) had normal functioning or mild neurological deficit |
Hughes et al. 2002[18] | Case report 1986 | 1 | 2.5 years | Neuropsychological recovery after 66 min submersion, CPR and CPB | 12 years | Neuropsychological testing, neuroimaging | Cognitive difficulties and global memory impairment in follow-up |
Suominen et al. 2010[33] | Retrospective 1994-2008 | 9 | Median 3.7 years (0.8-15.0 years) | Hypothermic drowning victims treated with CPB | 3 years | Neurological and neuropsychological testing | One survived with mild to moderate neurological deficit |
Suominen et al.2011[41] | Questionnaire | 29 | Median 3.0 (range 1.2-15.7) years | Drowned children who had been resuscitated either bystanders and/or EMS personnel | Median 10.3 years (1.8-21.8 years) | Mailed HRQoL questionnare | Good HRQoL in most of the long term survivors |