scholarly journals Screening tools for early neuropsychological impairment after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage

2019 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 817-824 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ilari M. Rautalin ◽  
Martina Sebök ◽  
Menno R. Germans ◽  
Miikka Korja ◽  
Noemi Dannecker ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Although most aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) patients suffer from neuropsychological disabilities, outcome estimation is commonly based only on functional disability scales such as the modified Rankin Scale (mRS). Moreover, early neuropsychological screening tools are not used routinely. Objective To study whether two simple neuropsychological screening tools identify neuropsychological deficits (NPDs), among aSAH patients categorized with favorable outcome (mRS 0—2) at discharge. Methods We reviewed 170 consecutive aSAH patients that were registered in a prospective institutional database. We included all patients graded by the mRS at discharge, and who had additionally been evaluated by a neuropsychologist and/or occupational therapist using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and/or Rapid Evaluation of Cognitive Function (ERFC). The proportion of patients with scores indicative of NPDs in each test were reported, and spearman correlation tests calculated the coefficients between the both neuropsychological test results and the mRS. Results Of the 42 patients (24.7%) that were evaluated by at least one neuropsychological test, 34 (81.0%) were rated mRS 0—2 at discharge. Among these 34 patients, NPDs were identified in 14 (53.9%) according to the MoCA and 8 (66.7%) according to the ERFC. The mRS score was not correlated with the performance in the MoCA or ERFC. Conclusion The two screening tools implemented here frequently identified NPDs among aSAH patients that were categorized with favorable outcome according to the mRS. Our results suggest that MoCA or ERFC could be used to screen early NPDs in favorable outcome patients, who in turn might benefit from early neuropsychological rehabilitation.

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 659-663 ◽  
Author(s):  
Markus Bruder ◽  
Sae-Yeon Won ◽  
Sepide Kashefiolasl ◽  
Marlies Wagner ◽  
Nina Brawanski ◽  
...  

ObjectiveSecondary brain injury leads to high morbidity and mortality rates in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). However, evidence-based treatment strategies are sparse. Since heparin has various effects on neuroinflammation, microthromboembolism and vasomotor function, our objective was to determine whether heparin can be used as a multitarget prophylactic agent to ameliorate morbidity in SAH.MethodsBetween June 1999 and December 2014, 718 patients received endovascular treatment after rupture of an intracranial aneurysm at our institution; 197 of them were treated with continuous unfractionated heparin in therapeutic dosages after the endovascular procedure. We performed a matched pair analysis to evaluate the effect of heparin on cerebral vasospasm (CVS), cerebral infarction (CI), and outcome.ResultsThe rate of severe CVS was significantly reduced in the heparin group compared with the control group (14.2% vs 25.4%; p=0.005). CI and multiple ischemic lesions were less often present in patients with heparin treatment. These effects were enhanced if patients were treated with heparin for >48 hours, but the difference was not significant. Favorable outcome at 6-month follow-up was achieved in 69% in the heparin group and in 65% in the control group.ConclusionsPatients receiving unfractionated continuous heparin after endovascular aneurysm occlusion have a significant reduction in the rate of severe CVS, have CI less often, and tend to have a favorable outcome more often. Our findings support the potential beneficial effects of heparin as a multitarget therapy in patients with SAH, resulting in an additional ‘H’ therapy in vasospasm treatment.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sepide Kashefiolasl ◽  
Marlies Wagner ◽  
Nina Brawanski ◽  
Volker Seifert ◽  
Stefan Wanderer ◽  
...  

The efficacy of statin-treatment in aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) remains controversial. We aimed to investigate the effects of statin-treatment in non-aneurysmal (na)SAH in accordance with animal research data illustrating the pathophysiology of naSAH. We systematically searched PubMed using PRISMA-guidelines and selected experimental studies assessing the statin-effect on SAH. Detecting the accordance of the applied experimental models with the pathophysiology of naSAH, we analyzed our institutional database of naSAH patients between 1999 and 2018, regarding the effect of statin treatment in these patients and creating a translational concept. Patient characteristics such as statin-treatment (simvastatin 40 mg/d), the occurrence of cerebral vasospasm (CVS), delayed infarction (DI), delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI), and clinical outcome were recorded. In our systematic review of experimental studies, we found 13 studies among 18 titles using blood-injection-animal-models to assess the statin-effect in accordance with the pathophysiology of naSAH. All selected studies differ on study-setting concerning drug-administration, evaluation methods, and neurological tests. Patients from the Back to Bedside project, including 293 naSAH-patients and 51 patients with simvastatin-treatment, were recruited for this analysis. Patients under treatment were affected by a significantly lower risk of CVS (p < 0.01; OR 3.7), DI (p < 0.05; OR 2.6), and DCI (p < 0.05; OR 3). Furthermore, there was a significant association between simvastatin-treatment and favorable-outcome (p < 0.05; OR 3). However, dividing patients with statin-treatment in pre-SAH (n = 31) and post-SAH (n = 20) treatment groups, we only detected a tenuously significant higher chance for a favorable outcome (p < 0.05; OR 0.05) in the small group of 20 patients with statin post-SAH treatment. Using a multivariate-analysis, we detected female gender (55%; p < 0.001; OR 4.9), Hunt&Hess ≤III at admission (p < 0.002; OR 4), no anticoagulant-therapy (p < 0.0001; OR 0.16), and statin-treatment (p < 0.0001; OR 24.2) as the main factors improving the clinical outcome. In conclusion, we detected a significantly lower risk for CVS, DCI, and DI in naSAH patients under statin treatment. Additionally, a significant association between statin treatment and favorable outcome 6 months after naSAH onset could be confirmed. Nevertheless, unified animal experiments should be considered to create the basis for developing new therapeutic schemes.


Neurosurgery ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 63 (6) ◽  
pp. 1088-1094 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erdem Güresir ◽  
Jürgen Beck ◽  
Hartmut Vatter ◽  
Matthias Setzer ◽  
Rüdiger Gerlach ◽  
...  

Abstract OBJECTIVE To analyze the incidence and impact of an intracerebral hematoma (ICH) on treatment and outcome in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. METHODS Data of 585 consecutive patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage from June 1999 to December 2005 were prospectively entered in a database. ICH was diagnosed and size was measured by computed tomographic scan before aneurysm occlusion. Fifty patients (8.5%) presented with an ICH larger than 50 cm3. The treatment decision (coil, clip, or hematoma evacuation) was based on an interdisciplinary approach. Patients were stratified into good (Hunt and Hess Grades I–III) versus poor (Hunt and Hess Grades IV and V) grade, and outcome was assessed according to the modified Rankin Scale at 6 months. RESULTS Overall, 358 patients presented in good grade, with 4 of them having ICH (1.1%); and 227 patients presented in poor grade, with 46 of them having ICH (20.3%, P < 0.01). In good-grade patients with an ICH (n = 4), a favorable outcome (modified Rankin Scale score of 0–2) was achieved in 1 patient (25%), and in 246 patients (75%) without an ICH (P = 0.053; odds ratio, 0.11). A favorable outcome was achieved in 5 poor-grade patients (12.8%) with an ICH and in 40 patients (23.7%) without an ICH (P = 0.19; odds ratio, 0.47). Time to treatment was significantly shorter in patients with an ICH than without an ICH (median, 7 versus 26 h; P < 0.001) and shortest in patients with favorable outcome (3.5 hours; P < 0.01). CONCLUSION The current data confirm that the presence of an ICH is a predictor of unfavorable outcome. However, despite large ICHs, a significant number of patients have a good outcome. To achieve a favorable outcome, ultra-early treatment with hematoma evacuation and aneurysm obliteration seems to be mandatory.


2019 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shinya Fukuda ◽  
Yasutaka Koga ◽  
Motoki Fujita ◽  
Eiichi Suehiro ◽  
Kotaro Kaneda ◽  
...  

OBJECTIVEThe harmful effects of hyperoxemia have been reported in critically ill patients with various disorders, including those with brain injuries. However, the effect of hyperoxemia on aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) patients is unclear. In this study the authors aimed to determine whether hyperoxemia during the hyperacute or acute phase in patients with aSAH is associated with delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) and poor neurological outcome.METHODSIn this single-center retrospective study, data from patients with aSAH treated between January 2011 and June 2017 were reviewed. The patients were classified into groups according to whether they experienced DCI (DCI group and non-DCI group) and whether they had a poor outcome at discharge (poor outcome group and favorable outcome group). The background characteristics and time-weighted average (TWA) PaO2 during the first 24 hours after arrival at the treatment facility (TWA24h-PaO2) and between the first 24 hours after arrival and day 6 (TWA6d-PaO2), the hyperacute and acute phases, respectively, were compared between the groups. Factors related to DCI and poor outcome were evaluated with logistic regression analyses.RESULTSOf 197 patients with aSAH, 42 patients experienced DCI and 82 patients had a poor outcome at discharge. TWA24h-PaO2 was significantly higher in the DCI group than in the non-DCI group (186 [141–213] vs 161 [138–192] mm Hg, p = 0.029) and in the poor outcome group than in the favorable outcome group (176 [154–205] vs 156 [136–188] mm Hg, p = 0.004). TWA6d-PaO2 did not differ significantly between the groups. Logistic regression analyses revealed that higher TWA24h-PaO2 was an independent risk factor for DCI (OR 1.09, 95% CI 1.01–1.17, p = 0.037) and poor outcome (OR 1.17, 95% CI 1.06–1.29, p = 0.002).CONCLUSIONSHyperoxemia during the first 24 hours was associated with DCI and a poor outcome in patients with aSAH. Excessive oxygen therapy might have an adverse effect in the hyperacute phase of aSAH.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tao Liu ◽  
Shiyu Zhong ◽  
Huiquan Jing ◽  
Qingqing Zhai ◽  
Tingzhong Wang ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND The exacerbation of neurological outcome is critical in aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage (aSAH) patients. Statin has been used to treat patents with aSAH, however, the conventional meta-analyses in the previous studies have shown the inconsistent results for efficacy of statin on these patients. OBJECTIVE In clinical applications, the dosage and type of statins are varied, and their effects need to be further verified. Therefore, we compared the prognostic effects of different dosages and types of statins commonly used in clinical practice on aSAH with Bayesian network meta analysis. METHODS The databases of PubMed, Web of science, Embase, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched until January 27, 2021. The primary outcome was the favorable outcome of statin treatment after aSAH. Secondary outcomes included mortality and recurrent stroke. RESULTS Fourteen studies, including a combined total of 2591 patients, were included for systematic review and Bayesian network analysis. In patients with aSAH, statins were more efficacious than placebos with respect to short-term favorable outcome (OR, 0.69; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.52–0.93), The use of statins significantly reduced the morbidity of ischemic stroke compared with placebo (OR, 0.5; 95% CI, 0.35–0.71). For all-cause recurrence strokes, statins effected a significant reduction compared with controls (OR, 0.60; 95% CI, 0.43–0.82). No statistically significant effect was observed with respect to death (OR, 1.08; 95% CI, 0.79–1.47). Pravastatin (40 mg/day) is suggested to be efficient in preventing recurrent stroke. (OR, 0.16; 95% CI, 0.02–0.71). CONCLUSIONS Statin significantly reduced the incidence of ischemic stroke and overall stroke in patients with aSAH. Moreover, statin therapy improved short-term outcome (≤ 3 months). In all probability pravastatin (40 mg/day) is superior to other types and dosages of statin in the prevention of recurrent stroke. CLINICALTRIAL PROSPERO International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews CRD42020219234.


Neurosurgery ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 60 (4) ◽  
pp. 649-657 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tonje Haug ◽  
Angelika Sorteberg ◽  
Wilhelm Sorteberg ◽  
Karl-Fredrik Lindegaard ◽  
Tryggve Lundar ◽  
...  

Abstract OBJECTIVE Although many patients show a satisfactory physical outcome after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), disabling cognitive dysfunction may still be present. This study focuses on the time course of cognitive recovery during the first year after aneurysmal SAH, and relates the neuropsychological test results to clinical, radiological, and management parameters. METHODS Thirty-two patients were followed prospectively with neuropsychological examinations at 3, 6, and 12 months after SAH. Test results were compared with clinical entry variables, management variables, and pre- and postoperative radiological findings. RESULTS The time course of cognitive recovery after aneurysmal SAH is heterogeneous, with motor and psychomotor functions recovering within the first 6 months, whereas verbal memory did not improve significantly until at least 6 months after the ictus. Clinical and radiological parameters reflecting the impact of the bleed were related to memory function, intelligence, and aphasia. The site of aneurysm and mode of treatment could not be linked to neuropsychological outcome. The time length of volume-controlled mechanical ventilation as a reflector of the aggregated consequences of being subjected to an aneurysm rupture correlated with both motor and psychomotor functioning and memory performance, predominantly 6 to 12 months after SAH, but was not linked to intelligence or aphasia. CONCLUSION The various cognitive functions have different time courses of recovery, with verbal memory requiring the longest time. Parameters reflecting the impact of the bleed and patient management can be linked to neuropsychological outcome.


1999 ◽  
Vol 90 (4) ◽  
pp. 664-672 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristina G. Cesarini ◽  
Hans-Göran Hårdemark ◽  
Lennart Persson

Object. Based on the concept that unfavorable clinical outcome after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), to a large extent, is a consequence of all ischemic insults sustained by the brain during the acute phase of the disease, management of patients with SAH changed at the authors' institution in the mid-1980s. The new management principles affected referral guidelines, diagnostic and monitoring methods, and pharmacological and surgical treatment in a neurointensive care setting. The impact of such changes on the outcome of aneurysmal SAH over a longer period of time has not previously been studied in detail. This was the present undertaking.Methods. The authors analyzed all patients with SAH admitted to the neurosurgery department between 1981 and 1992. This period was divided in two parts, Period A (1981–1986) and Period B (1987–1992), and different aspects of management and outcome were recorded for each period. In total, 1206 patients with SAH (mean age 52 years, 59% females) were admitted; an aneurysm presumably causing the SAH was found in 874 (72%).The 30-day mortality rate decreased from 29% during the first 2 years (1981–1982) to 9% during the last 2 years (1991–1992) (Period A 22%; Period B 10%; p < 0.0001) and the 6-month mortality rate decreased from 34 to 15% (Period A 26%; Period B 16%; p < 0.001). At follow-up review conducted 2 to 9 years (mean 5.2 years) after SAH occurred, patients were evaluated according to the Glasgow Outcome Scale. Subarachnoid hemorrhage—related poor outcome (vegetative or dead) was reduced (Period A 30%; Period B 18%; p < 0.001). There was an increase both in patients with favorable outcome (good recovery and moderate disability) (Period A 61%; Period B 66%) and in those with severe disability (Period A 9%; Period B 16%; p < 0.01).Conclusions. This study provides evidence that the prognosis for patients with aneurysmal SAH has improved during the last decades. The most striking results were a gradual reduction in mortality rates and improved clinical outcomes in patients with Hunt and Hess Grade I or II SAH and in those with intraventricular hemorrhage. The changes in mortality rates and the clinical outcomes of patients with Hunt and Hess Grades III to V SAH were less conspicuous, although reduced incidences of mortality were seen in some subgroups; however, few survivors subsequently appeared to attain a favorable outcome.


2016 ◽  
Vol 44 (12) ◽  
pp. 261-261
Author(s):  
Marilyn Hravnak ◽  
Khalil Yousef ◽  
Anne Fisher ◽  
Theodore Lagattuta

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document