Blood test may forecast brain outcome after heart attack

This study looked at whether the activity of genes in the blood (the transcriptome) can help predict how well the brain will recover in people who are resuscitated after a cardiac arrest outside the hospital. Researchers collected blood samples from 60 adults shortly after they arrived at the hospital and again on days 1 and 3. They then compared the gene activity to the patients' brain function 60 days later. The goal was to find early clues about neurological recovery, not to test a treatment.