THE RELATIONSHIP OF ABNORMAL YAWNING WITH CARDIAC ARREST

Hakan Gunes*, Handan Gunes, Hasan Ata Bolayir, and Adem Doganer

ABSTRACT

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between cardiac arrest and abnormal yawning in patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention due to ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. Methods: This prospective study included 174 patients who were diagnosed with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction and underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention between December 2016 and April 2018. Patients were divided into two groups as cardiac arrest and non-cardiac arrest patients during the percutaneous coronary intervention, so cardiac arrest predictors were investigated. Results: Twenty of the 174 patients who were included in the study had a cardiac arrest during the procedure. While abnormal yawning was observed in 13 (65%) of 20 patients with cardiac arrest, 11 (7.1%) patients had abnormal yawning, but no cardiac arrest developed. Abnormal yawning had a statistically significant effect (p<0.001) on cardiac arrest in logistic regression analysis and the regression model was estimated with 98.1% accuracy. Conclusion: In the present study, we reveal that abnormal yawning which occurs independently of ambient and emotional conditions during the primary percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction may be the precursor of cardiac arrest.

Keywords: ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction, Abnormal Yawning, Cardiac Arrest.