Clinical Cohort Construction Program of Peking University Third Hospital

Cardiac arrest is one of the leading life-threatening emergencies, with approximately 540,000 cases occurring annually in China. Among patients who experience cardiac arrest, active cardiopulmonary resuscitation can achieve return of spontaneous circulation in 40% of cases; however, only 1-2% ultimately survive with favorable neurological outcomes. The primary contributor to mortality and morbidity is post-cardiac arrest syndrome (PCAS). PCAS represents a distinct pathophysiological process resulting from systemic ischemia/reperfusion injury, involving multiple systems and organs, and thus requires comprehensive, systematic evaluation. At present, numerous challenges remain in the field of PCAS, including the optimal targeted temperature, additional interventions that may improve neurological prognosis, post-resuscitation myocardial dysfunction and its protective strategies, characteristics and management of dysfunction in other organs, and accurate neurological prognostication after resuscitation. Therefore, in-depth research on PCAS is urgently needed to improve outcomes in cardiac arrest survivors.

This study is initiated by the Department of Emergency Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, and involves a total of six tertiary hospitals across China, constituting a multicenter investigation. The study aims to explore the effects of different targeted temperature management strategies on mortality and neurological outcomes, and to actively investigate other interventions that may ameliorate post-resuscitation brain injury, cardiac injury, and microcirculatory dysfunction, thereby reducing mortality and improving neurological prognosis in cardiac arrest patients. Furthermore, we aim to develop a neurological prediction model for cardiac arrest patients to enable accurate prognostication of neurological outcomes, which will assist emergency physicians in providing precise prognostic information to families and facilitate shared decision-making regarding subsequent treatment plans.