A prospective long-term study of return to work after nontraumatic nonaneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage

Patients generally have a good prognosis and develop only occasional neurological complications after nontraumatic, nonaneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). This prospective long-term study investigated the normal return to work of patients who had experienced nontraumatic nonaneurysmal SAH. From June 2001 to June 2004, all patients presenting with nonaneurysmal nontraumatic SAH were asked to participate in this study. The population was divided in two groups: perimesencephalic (pSAH) and nonperimesencephalic pattern (npSAH). All patients underwent a battery of neuropsychological tests and completed psychological questionnaires assessing their general cognitive and language functions, memory and construction ability, attention, anxiety and depression, and quality of life. The patients were interviewed at the hospital, and neuropsychological assessments were conducted regularly for 7 years. The cognitive assessment after 7 years revealed a statistically significant difference between the pSAH and npSAH groups with respect to the activation and elaboration speed of attention as well as long-term non-verbal memory. Nine patients could not return to their former jobs after nonaneurysmal SAH. Although nontraumatic nonaneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage is typically a pathology with an excellent prognosis, there is evidence that this event may influence working life for a long time.