Electrocardiogram changes during hematoma enlargement in intracerebral hemorrhage patients

BACKGROUND: It has been reported that cerebrovascular disease causes changes in electrocardiogram results. OBJECTIVE: To investigate changes in electrocardiogram results in patients with intracerebral hematoma enlargement. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING: The present case-retrospective analysis study was performed at the Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology from January 2005 to October 2006. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 225 intracerebral hemorrhage patients (142 males and 83 females) that were hospitalized at the Department of Neurology were enrolled the present study. The patient selection was in accordance with diagnostic criteria from the Fourth National Cerebrovascular Disease Congress of China in 1995, and diagnosis was confLrrned using computed tomography. All patients underwent computed tomography twice within 24 hours following intracerebral hemorrhage, and were subjected to electrocardiogram examination after admission. METHODS: According to hematoma enlargement following intracerebral hemorrhage, all patients were divided into hematoma enlargement (n = 20) and non-hematoma enlargement (n = 205) groups. Because of the large patient number difference between the two groups, the hematoma enlargement group was matched with the non-hematoma enlargement group. Patients meeting these conditions were included in the non-hematoma enlargement group. Finally, 75 patients were included in the final analysis, 19 in the hematoma enlargement group and 56 in the non-hematoma enlargement group. Clinical data from the two groups were statistically analyzed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The incidence of electrocardiographic abnormalities between the hematoma enlargement and non-hematoma enlargement groups. RESULTS: In the hematoma enlargement group, 15 patients (79%) developed electrocardiographic abnormalities. In the non-hematoma enlargement group, 24 patients (43%) presented with electrocardiographic abnormalities. There were significant differences in electrocardiographic abnormalities between the groups (P < 0.01 ). CONCLUSION: Patients with electrocardiographic abnormalities suffered from hematoma enlargement following admission.