Mindfulness is inversely associated with psychological symptoms in long-term cardiac arrest survivors

Author: Alex Presciutti1,2, Jonathan Greenberg3,4, Ethan Lester3,4, Mary M Newman5, Jonathan Elmer6, Jonathan A Shaffer7, Ana-Maria Vranceanu3,4, Sarah M Perman8
Affiliation: <sup>1</sup> Department of Psychology, University of Colorado Denver, Campus Box 173, PO Box 173364, Denver, CO, 80217-3364, USA. Alexander.presciutti@ucdenver.edu. <sup>2</sup> Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, USA. Alexander.presciutti@ucdenver.edu. <sup>3</sup> Integrated Brain Health Clinical and Research Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA. <sup>4</sup> Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA. <sup>5</sup> Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation, Wexford, USA. <sup>6</sup> Departments of Emergency Medicine, Critical Care Medicine, and Neurology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, USA. <sup>7</sup> Department of Psychology, University of Colorado Denver, Campus Box 173, PO Box 173364, Denver, CO, 80217-3364, USA. <sup>8</sup> Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, USA.
Conference/Journal: J Behav Med
Date published: 2022 Feb 14
Other: Special Notes: doi: 10.1007/s10865-022-00295-5. , Word Count: 194


Identifying correlates of psychological symptoms in cardiac arrest (CA) survivors is a major research priority. In this longitudinal survey study, we evaluated associations between mindfulness, baseline psychological symptoms, and 1-year psychological symptoms in long-term CA survivors. We collected demographic and CA characteristics at baseline. At both timepoints, we assessed posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTS) through the PTSD Checklist-5 (PCL-5) and depression and anxiety symptoms through the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4). At follow-up, we assessed mindfulness through the Cognitive and Affective Mindfulness Scale-Revised (CAMS-R). We used adjusted linear regression to predict 1-year PCL-5 and PHQ-4 scores, with particular consideration of the CAMS-R as a cross-sectional correlate of outcome. We included 129 CA survivors (mean age: 52 years, 52% male, 98% white). At 1-year follow-up, in adjusted models, CAMS-R (β: -0.35, p < 0.001) and baseline PCL-5 scores (β: 0.56, p < 0.001) were associated with 1-year PCL-5 scores. CAMS-R (β: -0.34, p < 0.001) and baseline PHQ-4 scores were associated with 1-year PHQ-4 scores (β: 0.37, p < 0.001). In conclusion, mindfulness was inversely associated with psychological symptoms in long-term CA survivors. Future studies should examine the longitudinal relationship of mindfulness and psychological symptoms after CA.

Keywords: Anxiety; Cardiac arrest; Depression; Mindfulness; Posttraumatic stress.

PMID: 35157171 DOI: 10.1007/s10865-022-00295-5