Ondracek AS, Hofbauer TM, Wurm R, et al. - Researchers conducted a prospective, single-center study determining dsDNA and DNase activity in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients at hospital admission (acute phase) and 24 hours (subacute phase) after return of spontaneous circulation in order to ascertain the role of DNase activity in OHCA survivors and its impact on clinical outcome. Sixty-four OHCA survivors were enrolled; of these, 26.6% (n = 17) died within 30 days. The strongest predictor of mortality was disproportionally increased dsDNA levels uncompensated by DNase activity. Per this pilot study, DNase activity has potential protective effect in patients undergoing cardiac arrest.