New research shows that for survivors of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), targeted hypothermia did not improve functional outcome with a focus on societal participation and cognitive function better than management with normothermia. Researchers conducted a predefined analysis of the Targeted Hypothermia vs Targeted Normothermia After Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest (TTM2) trial, which found no mortality or poor functional outcomes differences at 6 months following OHCA. Participants were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to temperature control with hypothermia at 33 °C or normothermia and early treatment of fever (temperature of 37.8 °C or higher). This analysis examined the effects of targeted hypothermia and targeted normothermia on functional outcome, focusing on societal participation and cognitive function, in individuals after experiencing an OHCA. The 1,861 adult participants were comatose at the time of hospital admission. A total of 836 patients (mean age 60 years, 84% male) who were alive at 6 months participated in the follow-up. There was similar distribution of Glasgow Outcome Scale Extended (GOSE) scores between the two intervention groups, with a median score of 7 in both groups. Additionally, there were no differences between groups in cognitive function, as measured by the Montreal Cognitive Assessment-30 (MoCA-30) and the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT). A number of participants in both groups (43% in the hypothermia group and 40% of the normothermia group) reported limitations in one or more major life roles, with GOSE scores less than 7. A greater percentage of younger OHCA survivors – those younger than age 65 years – indicated they had more limitation in societal participation compared with those age 65 years and older, with rates of 50% vs. 30%. Fifty-nine percent of the 599 survivors who performed both MoCA-30 and SDMT had indications of cognitive impairment in at least one of the assessments, while 29% had indications of impairment on both tests. “The implication of this study is the addition of more evidence that hypothermia is not clinically beneficial as compared with maintaining normothermia,” the researchers conclude.