Aneurysms in relatives of patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage: frequency and risk factors. MARS Study Group. Magnetic Resonance Angiography in Relatives of patients with Subarachnoid hemorrhage.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the frequency and identify risk factors of unruptured aneurysms in first-degree relatives of patients with sporadic subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). BACKGROUND: First-degree relatives (parents, siblings, and children) of patients with SAH have a three to seven times increased risk of SAH. METHODS: Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) was performed in 626 first-degree relatives of a consecutive series of 193 index patients with "sporadic" SAH (participation rate, 78% of eligible relatives). The authors recorded demographic and medical data, and performed blood pressure measurements and blood tests (cholesterol, high-density lipid cholesterol, triglycerides, apoprotein A1, lipoprotein a, glucose). RESULTS: Aneurysms were found in 25 of 626 relatives (4.0%; 95% CI, 2.6 to 5.8%), and 6 relatives had multiple aneurysms. Index patients with multiple aneurysms and a younger age had a higher risk of aneurysms in relatives. Siblings of index patients had a four times higher risk than children. In screened relatives female sex, increasing age, polycystic kidney disease, hypertension, and elevated levels of cholesterol and glucose tended to be associated with a higher risk of aneurysms. No increase in risk was conferred by smoking or alcohol use, or by a previous family history of SAH or of atherosclerosis. CONCLUSIONS: First-degree relatives of index patients with sporadic subarachnoid hemorrhage have a 4.0% chance of intracranial aneurysms. Being a sibling of the index patient is the most important risk factor. Risk factors for general atherosclerosis (hypertension, smoking, hypercholesterolemia, high levels of blood triglycerides, lipoprotein a, and apoprotein A1) and use of alcohol do not increase the risk of intracranial aneurysms significantly in these relatives.     

颅内动脉瘤破裂的影响因素分析

目的 研究颅内动脉瘤（intracranial aneurysm,IA）破裂的影响因素,为临床治疗方案的制定提供参考。方法 回顾性分析2017年1月至2017年12月期间湖南省长沙市湘雅医院收治的474名颅内动脉瘤患者的临床资料,使用单因素、多因素分析等方法对性别、年龄、多发性动脉瘤、既往患病史、吸烟、饮酒、形态学特征等颅内动脉瘤破裂的可能影响因素进行了分析。结果 多因素回归分析结果提示：单发动脉瘤以及既不吸烟也不饮酒人群常见于女性（OR=2.16,95%CI：1.40,3.34）、多发性动脉瘤（OR=2.18,95%CI：1.34,3.56）以及既往既吸烟又饮酒（OR=5.01,95%CI：1.96,12.83）人群是动脉瘤破裂的危险因素。动脉瘤形态学特征自身对照配对t检验分析：动脉瘤高度、动脉瘤横径、动脉瘤高度/横径、最大瘤颈、最小瘤颈、最小瘤颈/载瘤动脉直径、动脉瘤角度、存在子囊或分叶是动脉瘤破裂的危险因素。结论 综合各类可能影响动脉瘤破裂的因素,制定最佳治疗方案以保证患者的生命安全。     

颅内动脉瘤破裂的影响因素分析

目的研究颅内动脉瘤(intracranial aneurysm,IA)破裂的影响因素,为临床治疗方案的制定提供参考。方法回顾性分析2017年1月至2017年12月期间湖南省长沙市湘雅医院收治的474名颅内动脉瘤患者的临床资料,使用单因素、多因素分析等方法对性别、年龄、多发性动脉瘤、既往患病史、吸烟、饮酒、形态学特征等颅内动脉瘤破裂的可能影响因素进行了分析。结果多因素回归分析结果提示:单发动脉瘤以及既不吸烟也不饮酒人群常见于女性(OR=2.16,95%CI:1.40,3.34)、多发性动脉瘤(OR=2.18,95%CI:1.34,3.56)以及既往既吸烟又饮酒(OR=5.01,95%CI:1.96,12.83)人群是动脉瘤破裂的危险因素。动脉瘤形态学特征自身对照配对t检验分析:动脉瘤高度、动脉瘤横径、动脉瘤高度/横径、最大瘤颈、最小瘤颈、最小瘤颈/载瘤动脉直径、动脉瘤角度、存在子囊或分叶是动脉瘤破裂的危险因素。结论综合各类可能影响动脉瘤破裂的因素,制定最佳治疗方案以保证患者的生命安全。     

649例动脉瘤的治疗经验

目的 探讨颅内动脉瘤患病的危险因素,无症状动脉瘤治疗方法 的选择.方法 回顾性分析649例颅内动脉瘤的临床资料,其中535例(82.4%)行动脉瘤蒂夹闭术,动脉瘤孤立术19例(2.9%),包裹术17例(2.6%),血管内治疗46例(7.1%),32例(5%)无症状病例未予特殊治疗,仅随诊.结果 术后12例死亡,手术死亡率1.9%.动脉瘤的后天患病的危险因素包括高血压、女性、高龄、吸烟.结论 动脉瘤的后天患病危险凶素包括高血压、女性、高龄以及吸烟.对于部分无症状动脉瘤无需治疗,随诊是其合适的选择.     

Relation between age and number of aneurysms in patients with subarachnoid haemorrhage

BACKGROUND: Because age and the presence of atherosclerosis are risk factors for the presence of aneurysms, the presence of multiple aneurysms may also increase with age. Familial preponderance is another risk factor for the presence of aneurysms. Familial subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) occurs at an earlier age than sporadic SAH, and a higher frequency of multiple aneurysms has been suggested in familial SAH. This may imply that the multiplicity of aneurysms is associated with younger age. We studied the relation between age and the number of aneurysms in patients with SAH. METHODS: From our database we selected patients with aneurysmal SAH admitted between 1985 and 1999. Inclusion criteria were: (1) both carotid and vertebral arteries had been visualised; (2) at least one aneurysm was found, and (3) admission within 72 h after onset of symptoms. For the 555 patients included we recorded the age, sex and number of aneurysms. The patients were categorised into patients with a single aneurysm, patients with more than one aneurysm and those with more than two aneurysms. For all categories we calculated the proportion of patients younger than the median age and the differences between these proportions, with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI). We also calculated relative risks (RR) of multiple aneurysms for gender and age below the median. RESULTS: 485 patients had a single aneurysm, and 70 patients had more than one aneurysm. The proportion of patients younger than the median age (51 years) with one aneurysm was 47.8%, for more than one aneurysm 61.4% (difference 13.6%; 95% CI 1.4-25.8), and for more than two aneurysms 82.6% (difference 34.8%, 95% CI 18.7-50.9). The RR of women for multiple aneurysms was 1.52 (95% CI 0.61-3.77), and that of age below the median 4.86 (95% CI 1.68-14.1). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with multiple aneurysms are younger than patients with a single aneurysm. This may suggest that atherosclerotic risk factors are less important than genetic factors in the development of multiple aneurysms.     

Trigger factors for rupture of intracranial aneurysms in relation to patient and aneurysm characteristics

Female gender, age above 60 years, and an aneurysm larger than 5 mm or location on the posterior circulation are associated with a higher rupture risk of intracranial aneurysms. We hypothesized that this association is explained by a higher susceptibility to (one of) the eight trigger factors that were recently identified. We included 250 patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. We calculated relative risks (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) of aneurysmal rupture for trigger factors according to sex, age, site, and size of the aneurysms by means of the case-crossover design. None of the triggers except for physical exercise differed according to patient and aneurysm characteristics. In the hour after exposure to physical exercise: (1) patients over the age of 60 have a six-times-higher risk of rupture (RR 13; 95% CI 6.3-26) than those of 60 years of age and under (RR 2.3; 1.3-4.1); (2) aneurysms at the internal carotid artery have a higher risk than those at other locations (RR 17; 7.8-37), but this was only statistically significant when compared to anterior communicating artery aneurysms (RR 3.2; 1.6-6.1); (3) aneurysms 5 mm or smaller had a higher risk of rupture (RR 9.5; 4.6-19) than larger aneurysms (RR 2.4; 1.3-4.3); and (4) women and men had similar risks. A higher susceptibility to exercise might explain part of the higher risk of rupture in older patients. Why women and patients with aneurysms larger than 5 mm or posterior circulation aneurysms have a higher risk of rupture remains to be settled.     

Risk factors for re-bleeding of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage: Meta-analysis of observational studies

ObjectiveThe mortality of re-bleeding following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage is high, and surviving patients often have poor clinical condition and worse outcome than patients with a single bleed. In this study, we performed an updated systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the most common risk factors for re-bleeding in this patient population, with the goal of providing neurologists, neurosurgeons, neuro-interventionalists with a simple and fast method to evaluate the re-bleeding risk for aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.MethodWe conducted a thorough meta-analysis of the risk factors associated with re-bleeding or re-rupture of intracranial aneurysms in cases published between 2000 and 2013. Pooled mean difference was calculated for the continuous variables (age), and pooled odds ratio (OR) was calculated for categorical factors. If heterogeneity was significant (p < 0.05), a random effect model was applied; otherwise, a fixed model was used. Testing for pooled effects and statistical significance for each potential risk factor were analyzed using Review Manager software.ResultsOur literature search identified 174 articles. Of these, only seven retrospective studies met the inclusion criteria. These seven studies consisted of 2470 patients, 283 of which had aneurysmal re-bleeding, resulting in a weighted average rate of re-bleeding of 11.3% with 95% confidence interval [CI]: 10.1–12.6. In this population, sex (OR 1.46; 95% CI: 1.11–1.92), high systolic blood pressure [SBP] (OR 2.52; 95% CI: 1.40–4.53), aneurysm size (OR 3.00; 95% CI: 2.06–4.37), clinical condition (Hunt & Hess) (OR 4.94; 95% CI: 2.29,10.68), and Fisher grade (OR 2.29; 95% CI: 1.45, 3.61) were statistically significant risk factors for re-bleeding.ConclusionSex, high SBP, high Fisher grade, aneurysm size larger than 10 mm, and poor clinical condition were independent risk factors for aneurysmal re-bleeding. The importance of early aneurysm intervention and careful consideration of patient risk factors should be emphasized to eliminate the risk of re-bleeding and poor outcome.     

影响破裂颅内动脉瘤患者预后的多因素分析

目的筛选影响破裂颅内动脉瘤预后的相关因素,为颅内动脉瘤的治疗提供理论依据。方法回顾性分析2003年至2007年石家庄市7家医院共794例破裂颅内动脉瘤的病例资料,对794例患者的性别、年龄、临床病情分级、动脉瘤的部位、动脉瘤是否多发、手术时机、手术方式、是否合并高血压以及吸烟等因素进行分析,采用SAS V8统计软件进行资料处理,单因素分析采用χ2检验,然后进行多因素分析,应用Logistic多元回归模型,筛选得到对预后有显著意义的因素。结果单因素分析显示患者的Hunt-Hess病情分级（P〈0.0001）、年龄（P〈0.0001）、是否合并高血压（P=0.0226）这三项临床指标差异有统计学意义;多因素Logistic逐步回归法筛选变量,病情Hunt-Hess分级（P〈0.0001,OR=34.854）、患者年龄（P〈0.0001,OR=1.779）、是否合并高血压（P=0.0057,OR=1.413）等是影响破裂颅内动脉瘤患者预后的独立危险因素。结论破裂颅内动脉瘤患者入院时的Hunt-Hess分级、年龄和是否合并高血压病是影响预后的独立因素;破裂颅内动脉瘤患者入院时Hunt-Hess分级越高、年龄越大以及合并高血压时其临床预后越差。     

高级别动脉瘤性蛛网膜下腔出血再破裂的危险因素分析

目的 探讨高Fisher分级动脉瘤性蛛网膜下腔出血(aSAH)患者再破裂出血的相关危险因素,为早期预防再出血提供指导.方法 对327例高Fisher分级aSAH患者的临床资料进行回顾性分析,依据入院3日内是否发生再出血分为再出血组(n=37)和未出血组(n =290),利用单因素和多因素的方法来筛选影响再出血的相关危险...     

The relation between aneurysm size and outcome in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage

The balance of risks of treatment for unruptured aneurysms might change if the prognosis after rupture depends on the size of the aneurysm. In a prospective series of patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage in whom aneurysmal size was measured by CT angiography performed on admission, poor outcome occurred more often in patients with large (> or =10 mm) aneurysms (63%) than in patients with small (<10 mm) aneurysms (41%; RR = 1.5; 95% CI 1.0 to 2.2). The relative risk remained essentially the same after adjustment for age, gender, location of the aneurysm, and amount of cisternal blood.     

血管内治疗颅内动脉瘤术后发生急性脑积水的危险因素及处理

目的 可能危险因素进行Logistic多元回归分析.结果 Hunt-Hess分级和早期腰池持续置管引流为颅内动脉瘤血管内介入治疗后并发急性脑积水的最重要影响因素.结论 颅内动脉瘤血管内介入治疗后早期选择腰大池蛛网膜下腔持续引流,可预防急性脑积水发生,该方法可避免脑室穿刺,起到治疗急性脑积水的作用.     

Epidemiologic and anatomic aspects comparing incidental and ruptured intracranial aneurysms: A single centre experience

The feasibility of multicentric international data such as integrated in the PHASES score for patient counseling in unruptured intracranial aneurysms has recently been challenged. To determine, whether this data is applicable to local populations in a restricted catchment area, we performed a retrospective mono-centric analysis comparing patients with ruptured aneurysms to patients with incidental aneurysms. 200 patients with unruptured aneurysms and 197 patients after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage were analyzed for risk factors differing between the groups and to the general German population. Subgroup analysis was performed for 25 patients harboring multiple aneurysms, in 19 patients with intracavernous aneurysms and in 77 women of childbearing potential. While the preponderance of female patients was confirmed, significantly more men figured in the patient group with subarachnoid hemorrhage (36.4%) than among unruptured aneurysms (25%). Patients with bleeding events were significantly younger (51.6 years) than patients with incidental aneurysms (57.8 years). The rupture risk prediction of the PHASES score concerning aneurysm size below 7 mm and patient age over 70 years could not be confirmed, instead score points correlated to the clinical outcome after rupture. In our population, pregnant women were not overrepresented. Intracavernous carotid aneurysms contributed to the low risk profile of giant aneurysms. Thus, recommendations from pooled international data have to be adapted cautiously to local circumstances. We retained seven items with predictive value for outpatient counseling: age, smoking, hypertonus and concurrent vascular aberrations as patient characteristics and irregular shape, (increasing) largest diameter and the harboring vessel for the aneurysm.     

Cigarette smoking, alcohol use, and subarachnoid hemorrhage.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Subarachnoid hemorrhage remains a devastating disease. Identification of etiologic risk factors would allow the possibility of prevention. METHODS: We conducted a population-based case-control study in King County, Washington. Patients whose bleeds originated from a source other than an aneurysm were excluded. Two age- and gender-matched control subjects were identified for each case through random digit telephone dialing. A standardized in-person interview was conducted with the patient whenever possible, a proxy respondent for the case in all instances, the two control subjects, and their proxies. Analyses involved conditional logistic regression taking into account matching on age, gender and respondent type. RESULTS: Over 2 years, 169 cases were identified, and 149 participated in the case-control study. Compared with those who never smoked, the odds ratio for current heavy smokers (greater than 20 cigarettes/day) was 11.1 (95% confidence interval [CI], 5.0-24.9); for current light smokers (less than or equal to 20 cigarettes/day), 4.1 (95% CI, 2.3-7.3); and for former smokers, 1.8 (95% CI, 1.0-3.2). The risk associated with smoking was greatest in the 3 hours after a cigarette (odds ratio [OR] = 7.0; 95% CI, 3.7-13.1) and then fell, not reaching the risk in those who had never smoked until more than 10 years had passed since the last cigarette. Heavy alcohol use (greater than 2 drinks/day) was also associated with bleeds (OR = 2.2; 95% CI, 0.9-5.1, after adjusting for smoking status). These associations were not substantially altered after adjusting for several possible confounding factors, including a history of hypertension. CONCLUSIONS: Cigarette smoking and heavy alcohol use are associated with the occurrence of subarachnoid hemorrhage.     

Corticosteroid use and risk of aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage

OBJECTIVES: Corticosteroids can induce hypertension and inhibit collagen synthesis in the blood vessel wall. Deficiencies in collagen have been found in intracranial aneurysms. Therefore use of corticosteroids could be a risk factor for intracranial aneurysms and aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH). We investigated the relationship between the systemic use of corticosteroids in the past and the occurrence of aneurysmal SAH. METHODS: We compared the systemic use of corticosteroids (oral or intravenous) in the past between a consecutive series of 1158 patients with aneurysmal SAH and a control group consisting of 1019 patients diagnosed with a primary central nervous system (CNS) tumour. We discriminated between definite use of corticosteroids defined as use mentioned in the medical record and possible use defined as note in the medical record of a disease that may be treated with corticosteroids. We calculated odds ratios (OR) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) and adjusted for age and sex by means of logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: Twenty (1.7%, 95% CI 1.1-2.7) of the SAH patients and eight (0.8%, 95% CI 0.3-1.5) of the controls had used systemic corticosteroids (OR: 2.22; 95% CI 0.97-5.05; p-value 0.058; adjusted OR 2.23; 95 % CI 0.97-5.15; p-value 0.059). For definite plus possible use the OR was 1.67 (95% CI 1.09-2.54; p-value 0.016) and the adjusted OR 1.52 (95% CI 0.99-2.33; p-value 0.055). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with aneurysmal SAH more often have used systemic corticosteroids in the past than controls. This may suggest that the use of corticosteroids is a risk factor for aneurysmal SAH.     

Chlamydia pneumoniae infection as a risk factor for subarachnoid hemorrhage

Many risk factors for subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), such as hypertension and recent infection, have already been established. Chlamydia pneumoniae is a common respiratory pathogen that has been implicated as a potential risk factor for hypertension and atherosclerotic diseases. The purpose of the case-control study presented here was to examine the causative relationship between C. pneumoniae infection and SAH. Serum C. pneumoniae IgG and IgA antibodies were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 52 patients with SAH and in 104 healthy age-matched control subjects. Multivariate analysis revealed a significant association between SAH and both a strong seropositivity for IgG and/or IgA antibodies against C. pneumoniae (odds ratio, OR, 3.62; 95% confidence intervals, CI, 1.06-12.39; p = 0.040), which indicates the presence of acute C. pneumoniae infection, and hypertension (OR, 2.91; 95% CI, 1.42-5.96; p = 0.0035). These results provide evidence that infection with C. pneumoniae may be a risk factor for SAH from a ruptured intracranial aneurysm.     

颅内动脉瘤介入术后脑缺血并发症的相关因素分析

目的分析诱发颅内动脉瘤介入术后脑缺血并发症的因素。方法回顾性分析本院2010年1月～2018年12月35例颅内动脉瘤介入术后脑缺血并发症的患者的临床资料,记为A组;另回顾性分析同时间段41例颅内动脉瘤介入术后未并发脑缺血并发症的患者的临床资料,记为B组。归纳脑缺血并发症的可能影响因素,对比A组与B组差异,并进行Logistic多元回归分析。结果两组患者性别、年龄、病程时间、动脉瘤位置、糖尿病史、蛛网膜下腔出血病史、脑梗死或短暂性脑缺血发作病史、饮酒史、颅内血管狭窄、治疗策略、支架类型、Raymond分级相比较,差异无统计学意义(P0. 05),高血压病史、吸烟史、动脉瘤直径和最大径相比较,差异有统计学意义(P 0. 05); Logistic回归分析结果提示,高血压、吸烟、动脉瘤最大径 10 mm为颅内动脉瘤介入术后脑缺血并发症的独立风险因素(P 0. 05)。结论高血压、吸烟、动脉瘤最大径 10 mm为颅内动脉瘤介入术后脑缺血并发症的独立危险因素。     

颅内囊性动脉瘤破裂形态学的危险因素分析

目的研究颅内囊性动脉瘤破裂的形态学危险因素。方法回顾性分析551例（共611个）颅内囊性动脉瘤的病例资料,以动脉瘤破裂作为最后评定指标,分为破裂组（341个动脉瘤）和未破裂组（270个动脉瘤）,使用SPSS17.0统计软件包分析数据。结果两组之间动脉瘤长、瘤颈宽、载瘤动脉平均直径、载瘤动脉近端与动脉瘤长轴夹角（IA）、瘤体长与瘤颈宽之比（AR）、瘤体最大径与载瘤动脉平均直径之比（SR）、动脉瘤面积与瘤颈处动脉面积之比（S1/S2）、存在子瘤有显著差异（P〈0.05）。多因素Logistic回归分析显示：瘤颈宽〈1.7 mm（OR=2.318,95%CI=1.381-3.893,P=0.001）、存在子瘤（OR=12.512,95%CI=7.827-20.002,P〈0.001）、S1/S2〉2.1（OR=2.460,95%CI=1.408-4.300,P=0.002）为颅内囊性动脉瘤破裂的独立危险因素。结论动脉瘤长、瘤颈宽、载瘤动脉平均直径、IA、AR、SR、S1/S2、存在子瘤是动脉瘤破裂的形态学危险因素。     

Configuration of the circle of Willis,direction of flow,and shape of the aneurysm as risk factors for rupture of intracranial aneurysms

Background   Improved knowledge on risk factors for rupture of intracranial aneurysms may lead to more tailored aneurysm management. We studied whether configuration of the circle of Willis, direction of flow towards the aneurysm, and shape of the aneurysm are risk factors for rupture. Methods   We reviewed CT angiograms of 126 patients with 75 ruptured and 75 unruptured aneurysms, matched for site of the aneurysm, gender and age of the patient, and year of CT angiogram. For the characteristics studied, we calculated odd ratios (ORs) with corresponding 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) for risk of rupture. Configuration of the circle of Willis (incompleteness, asymmetry or dominance) was analyzed on a per site basis. Non-spherical shape was subdivided into elliptical (oval and oblong) and multilobed. In additional analyses, we adjusted for size by means of multivariable logistic regression. Results   Flow straight into the aneurysm (OR 2.0; 95 % CI 1.0–4.1) and non-spherical shape (OR 2.8; 95 % CI 1.5–5.5) were associated with rupture. Both elliptical shape, with increasing ORs for oval (OR 1.8; 95 % CI 0.8–4.0) to oblong shape (OR 6.2; 95 % CI 1.9–21), and multilobed shape (OR 4.1; 95 % CI 1.2–14) were associated with rupture. These ORs decreased after adjustment for size. Configuration of the circle of Willis was not associated with a strong risk of rupture; moderate risk could not be excluded. Conclusion   Direction of flow into the aneurysm and nonspherical (both elliptical and multilobed) shape may contribute to the risk of rupture, but are related to aneurysm size and may warrant more frequent follow-up.     

Perioperative stroke after cerebral aneurysm clipping: Risk factors and postoperative impact

Stroke is a devastating complication after intracranial aneurysm clipping. Understanding the risk factors that prognosticate perioperative stroke may help to identify patients that would benefit from neuroprotective therapy. This study assesses patient-specific independent predictors of perioperative stroke in relation to surgical aneurysm clipping. Additionally, this study evaluates the postoperative complications of stroke. We performed a retrospective chart review of 437 patients with ruptured and unruptured intracranial aneurysms, which underwent surgical clipping from 2006 to 2013. Multivariate logistical regression was utilized to assess the effect of age, race, gender, subarachnoid hemorrhage, Hunt and Hess (H/H) grade, aneurysm location, and intraoperative somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEPs) changes on the frequency of perioperative stroke. Thirty-five (8.0%) patients developed a stroke within 24 h postoperatively. Patients with significant intraoperative SSEP changes were 7.33 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.51–15.31) times more likely to develop perioperative strokes. In patients who presented with H/H grade 5, the odds ratio for developing perioperative stroke was 9.21 (95% CI: 1.28–66.13) respectively. In the absence of aneurysm rupture, patients presenting with new-onset stroke were more likely to suffer postoperative complications, stay in the intensive care unit longer, and be discharged to in-patient rehabilitation compared to patients without new-onset stroke. This study suggests that severity of subarachnoid hemorrhage based on the patient’s clinical condition increases the risk of perioperative stroke in patients with surgical aneurysm clipping. SSEP changes and high-grade H/H scores can serve as independent predictors of perioperative stroke, with the latter having the greatest predictive value.     

Initial loss of consciousness and risk of delayed cerebral ischemia after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) is a major cause of death and disability in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. We studied the prognostic value for DCI of 2 factors: the duration of unconsciousness after the hemorrhage and the presence of risk factors for atherosclerosis. METHODS: In 125 consecutive patients admitted within 4 days after hemorrhage, we assessed the presence and duration of unconsciousness after the hemorrhage, the neurological condition on admission, the amount of subarachnoid blood, the size of the ventricles, and a history of smoking, hypertension, stroke, or myocardial infarction. The relationship between these variables and the development of DCI was analyzed by means of the Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS: The univariate hazard ratio (HR) for the development of DCI in patients who had lost consciousness for >1 hour was 6.0 (95% CI 3.0 to 12.0) compared with patients who had no loss or a <1-hour loss of consciousness. The presence of any risk factor for atherosclerosis yielded an HR of 1.4 (95% CI 0.6 to 3.5). The HR for unconsciousness remained essentially the same after adjustment for other risk factors for DCI. The HR for a poor World Federation of Neurological Surgeons score (grade IV or V) on admission was 2.9 (95% CI 1.5 to 5. 5); that for a large amount of subarachnoid blood on CT was 3.4 (95% CI 1.6 to 7.3). CONCLUSIONS: The duration of unconsciousness after subarachnoid hemorrhage is a strong predictor for the occurrence of DCI. This observation may contribute to a better understanding of the pathogenesis of DCI and increased attention for patients at risk.