Blood transfusion and increased risk for vasospasm and poor outcome after subarachnoid hemorrhage

2004 ◽  
Vol 101 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle J. Smith ◽  
Peter D. Le Roux ◽  
J. Paul Elliott ◽  
H. Richard Winn
Keyword(s):  
Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ◽  
Blood Transfusion ◽  
Smoking Status ◽  
Ct Scans ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Poor Outcome ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Confounding Variables ◽  
Rbc Transfusion ◽  
Fine Print

Object. Nitric oxide (NO) metabolism may influence vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). It has been demonstrated in recent studies that erythrocytes carry NO for release in vessels, whereas transfused erythrocytes may lack stored NO. Several converging lines of evidence also indicate that blood transfusion may exacerbate poor outcomes in some critically ill patients. In this study the authors hypothesized that patients with SAH who received red blood cell (RBC) transfusions were at greater risk for vasospasm and poor outcome. Methods. The authors retrospectively reviewed a prospective observational database, including hospital records, computerized tomography (CT) scans, and pre- and postoperative four-vessel angiograms, in which the management methods used in 441 patients undergoing surgery for ruptured cerebral aneurysms were described. Two hundred seventy patients (61.2%) received an RBC transfusion during their hospital stay. After adjustment for Hunt and Hess grade, SAH grade on CT scans, delay between rupture and surgery, smoking status, and intraoperative aneurysm rupture, a worse outcome was more likely in patients who received intraoperative blood (odds ratio [OR] 2.44, confidence interval [CI] 1.32–4.52; 120 patients). Intraoperative RBC transfusion did not influence subsequent angiographically confirmed vasospasm (OR 0.92, CI 0.6–1.4). Worse outcome was observed in patients who received blood postoperatively (OR 1.81, CI 1.21–2.7), but not after adjustments were made for confounding variables (OR 1.48, CI 0.83–2.63). Angiographic vasospasm was observed in 217 patients and, after adjusting for confounding variables, was more frequent among patients who received postoperative RBC transfusion (OR 1.68, CI 1.02–2.75). Among patients in whom angiographically confirmed vasospasm developed there was a tendency to have received more blood than in those with no vasospasm; however, a clear dose-dependent response was not observed. Conclusions. Development of angiographically confirmed vasospasm after SAH is associated with postoperative RBC transfusion and worse outcome is associated with intraoperative RBC transfusion. Before blood is transfused, patients with SAH should be carefully assessed to determine if they are symptomatic because of anemia.

Age and outcome after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage: why do older patients fare worse?

1996 ◽  
Vol 85 (3) ◽  
pp. 410-418 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giuseppe Lanzino ◽  
Neal F. Kassell ◽  
Teresa P. Germanson ◽  
Gail L. Kongable ◽  
Laura L. Truskowski ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Prognostic Factors ◽  
Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Age Group ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Poor Outcome ◽  
Symptomatic Vasospasm ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Fine Print

✓ Advanced age is a recognized prognostic indicator of poor outcome after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). The relationship of age to other prognostic factors and outcome was evaluated using data from the multicenter randomized trial of nicardipine in SAH conducted in 21 neurosurgical centers in North America. Among the 906 patients who were studied, five different age groups were considered: 40 years or less, 41 to 50, 51 to 60, 61 to 70, and more than 71 years. Twenty-three percent of the individuals enrolled were older than 60 years of age. Women outnumbered men in all age groups. Level of consciousness (p = 0.0002) and World Federation of Neurological Surgeons grade (p = 0.0001) at admission worsened with advancing age. Age was also related to the presence of a thick subarachnoid clot (p = 0.0001), intraventricular hemorrhage (p = 0.0003), and hydrocephalus (p = 0.0001) on an admission computerized tomography scan. The rebleeding rate increased from 4.5% in the youngest age group to 16.4% in patients more than 70 years of age (p = 0.002). As expected, preexisting medical conditions, such as diabetes (p = 0.028), hypertension (p = 0.0001), and pulmonary (p = 0.0084), myocardial (p = 0.0001), and cerebrovascular diseases (p = 0.0001), were positively associated with age. There were no age-related differences in the day of admission following SAH, timing of the surgery and/or location, and size (small vs. large) of the ruptured aneurysm. During the treatment period, the incidence of severe complications (that is, those complications considered life threatening by the reporting investigator) increased with advancing age, occurring in 28%, 33%, 36%, 40%, and 46% of the patients in each advancing age group, respectively (p = 0.0002). No differences were observed in the reported frequency of surgical complications. No age-related differences were found in the overall incidence of angiographic vasospasm; however, symptomatic vasospasm was more frequently reported in the older age groups (p = 0.01). Overall outcome, assessed using the Glasgow Outcome Scale at 3 months post-SAH, was poorer with advancing age (p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis of overall outcome, adjusting for the different prognostic factors, did not remove the age effect, which suggests that the aging brain has a less optimal response to the initial bleeding. Age as a risk factor is a continuum; however, there seems to be a significant increased risk of poor outcome after the age of 60 years.

Clot volume and clearance rate as independent predictors of vasospasm after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage

2004 ◽  
Vol 101 (2) ◽  
pp. 255-261 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Reilly ◽  
Chris Amidei ◽  
Jocelyn Tolentino ◽  
Babak S. Jahromi ◽  
R. Loch Macdonald
Keyword(s):  
Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ◽  
Clearance Rate ◽  
Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ◽  
Quantitative Imaging ◽  
Univariate Analysis ◽  
Ct Scans ◽  
Focal Neurological Deficit ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Fisher Grade ◽  
Fine Print

Object. This study was conducted for two purposes. The first was to determine whether a combination of measurements of subarachnoid clot volume, clearance rate, and density could improve prediction of which patients experience vasospasm. The second was to determine if each of these three measures could be used independently to predict vasospasm. Methods. Digital files of the cranial computerized tomography (CT) scans obtained in 75 consecutive patients admitted within 24 hours of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) were analyzed in a blinded fashion by an observer who used quantitative imaging software to measure the volume of SAH and its density. Clot clearance rates were measured by quantifying SAH volume on subsequent CT scans. Vasospasm was defined as new onset of a focal neurological deficit or altered consciousness 5 to 12 days after SAH in the absence of other causes of deterioration, diagnosed with the aid of or exclusively by confirmatory transcranial Doppler ultrasonography and/or cerebral angiography. Univariate analysis showed that vasospasm was significantly associated with the SAH grade as classified on the Fisher scale, the initial clot volume, initial clot density, and percentage of clot cleared per day (p < 0.05). In multivariate analysis, initial clot volume and percentage of clot cleared per day were significant predictors of vasospasm (p < 0.05), whereas Fisher grade and initial clot density were not. Conclusions. Quantitative analysis of subarachnoid clot shows that vasospasm is best predicted by initial subarachnoid clot volume and the percentage of clot cleared per day.

Comparison between perimesencephalic nonaneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage and subarachnoid hemorrhage caused by posterior circulation aneurysms

2003 ◽  
Vol 98 (3) ◽  
pp. 529-535 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jose F. Alén ◽  
Alfonso Lagares ◽  
Ramiro D. Lobato ◽  
Pedro A. Gómez ◽  
Juan J. Rivas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ◽  
Cerebral Aneurysms ◽  
Clinical Syndrome ◽  
Posterior Circulation ◽  
Ct Scans ◽  
World Federation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Unenhanced Ct ◽  
Posterior Circulation Aneurysms ◽  
Fine Print

Object. Some authors have questioned the need to perform cerebral angiography in patients presenting with a benign clinical picture and a perimesencephalic pattern of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) on initial computerized tomography (CT) scans, because the low probability of finding an aneurysm does not justify exposing patients to the risks of angiography. It has been stated, however, that ruptured posterior circulation aneurysms may present with a perimesencephalic SAH pattern in up to 10% of cases. The aim of the present study was twofold: to define the frequency of the perimesencephalic SAH pattern in the setting of ruptured posterior fossa aneurysms, and to determine whether this clinical syndrome and pattern of bleeding could be reliably and definitely distinguished from that of aneurysmal SAH. Methods. Twenty-eight patients with ruptured posterior circulation aneurysms and 44 with nonaneurysmal perimesencephalic SAH were selected from a series of 408 consecutive patients with spontaneous SAH admitted to the authors' institution. The admission unenhanced CT scans were evaluated by a neuroradiologist in a blinded fashion and classified as revealing a perimesencephalic SAH or a nonperimesencephalic pattern of bleeding. Of the 28 patients with posterior circulation aneurysms, five whose grade was I according to the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies scale were classified as having a perimesencephalic SAH pattern on the initial CT scan. The data show that the likelihood of finding an aneurysm on angiographic studies obtained in a patient with a perimesencephalic SAH pattern is 8.9%. Conversely, ruptured aneurysms of the posterior circulation present with an early perimesencephalic SAH pattern in 16.6% of cases. Conclusions. This study supports the impression that there is no completely sensitive and specific CT pattern for a nonaneurysmal SAH. In addition, the authors believe that there is no specific clinical syndrome that can differentiate patients who have a perimesencephalic SAH pattern caused by an aneurysm from those without aneurysms. Digital subtraction angiography continues to be the gold standard for the diagnosis of cerebral aneurysms and should be performed even in patients who have the characteristic perimesencephalic SAH pattern on admission CT scans.

scholarly journals Increased levels of lipid peroxides as predictive of symptomatic vasospasm and poor outcome after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage

2002 ◽  
Vol 97 (6) ◽  
pp. 1302-1305 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takao Kamezaki ◽  
Kiyoyuki Yanaka ◽  
Sohji Nagase ◽  
Keishi Fujita ◽  
Noriyuki Kato ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ◽  
Cerebral Vasospasm ◽  
Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ◽  
Lipid Peroxides ◽  
Medical Complication ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Poor Outcome ◽  
Symptomatic Vasospasm ◽  
Delayed Cerebral Vasospasm ◽  
Fine Print

Object. Cerebral vasospasm remains a devastating medical complication of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Reactive oxygen species and subsequent lipid peroxidation are reported to participate in the causes of cerebral vasospasm. This clinical study was performed to investigate the relationships between levels of lipid peroxides in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and both delayed cerebral vasospasm and clinical outcome after SAH. Methods. Levels of phosphatidylcholine hydroperoxide (PCOOH) and cholesteryl ester hydroperoxide (CEOOH) in the CSF were measured in 20 patients with aneurysmal SAH. The patients' CSF was collected within 48 hours of hemorrhage onset and on Day 6 or 7 post-SAH. On Day 7, angiography was performed to verify the degree and extent of the vasospasm. The relationship between the patients' clinical profiles and the levels of lipid peroxides in the CSF were investigated. Both PCOOH and CEOOH were detectable in CSF, and their levels decreased within 7 days after onset of SAH. The levels of CEOOH within 48 hours after onset of hemorrhage were significantly higher in patients in whom symptomatic vasospasm later developed than in patients in whom symptomatic vasospasm did not develop (p = 0.002). Levels of PCOOH measured within 48 hours after onset of hemorrhage were significantly higher in patients with poor outcomes than in patients with good outcomes (p = 0.043). Conclusions. Increased levels of lipid peroxides measured in the CSF during the acute stage of SAH were predictive of both symptomatic vasospasm and poor outcome. Measurements of lipid peroxides in the CSF may be useful prognostically for patient outcomes as well as for predicting symptomatic vasospasm.

Hyperglycemia, excess weight, and history of hypertension as risk factors for poor outcome and cerebral infarction after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage

2005 ◽  
Vol 102 (6) ◽  
pp. 998-1003 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seppo Juvela ◽  
Jari Siironen ◽  
Johanna Kuhmonen
Keyword(s):  
Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ◽  
Cerebral Infarction ◽  
Patient Outcomes ◽  
Plasma Glucose ◽  
Clinical Condition ◽  
Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Poor Outcome ◽  
History Of ◽  
Fine Print

Object. Stress-induced hyperglycemia has been shown to be associated with poor outcome after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). The authors prospectively tested whether hyperglycemia, independent of other factors, affects patient outcomes and the occurrence of cerebral infarction after SAH. Methods. Previous diseases, health habits, medications, clinical condition, and neuroimaging variables were recorded for 175 patients with SAH who were admitted to the hospital within 48 hours after bleeding. The plasma level of glucose was measured at admission and the fasting value of glucose was measured in the morning after aneurysm occlusion. Factors found to be independently predictive of patient outcomes at 3 months after SAH onset and the appearance of cerebral infarction were tested by performing multiple logistic regression. Plasma glucose values at admission were found to be associated with patient age, body mass index (BMI), history of hypertension, clinical condition, amount of subarachnoid or intraventricular blood, shunt-dependent hydrocephalus, outcome variables, and the appearance of cerebral infarction. When considered independently of age, clinical condition, or amount of subarachnoid, intraventricular, or intracerebral blood, the plasma glucose values at admission predicted poor outcome (per millimole/liter the odds ratio [OR] was 1.24 with a 95% confidence interval [CI] of 1.02–1.51). After an adjustment was made for the amount of subarachnoid blood, the clinical condition, and the duration of temporary artery occlusion during surgery, the BMI was found to be a significant predictor (per kilogram/square meter the OR was 1.15 with a 95% CI of 1.02–1.29) for the finding of cerebral infarction on the follow-up computerized tomography scan. Hypertension (OR 3.11, 95% CI 1.11–8.73)—but not plasma glucose (OR 1.06, 95% CI 0.87–1.29)—also predicted the occurrence of infarction when tested instead of the BMI. Conclusions. Independent of the severity of bleeding, hyperglycemia at admission seems to impair outcome, and excess weight and hypertension appear to elevate the risk of cerebral infarction after SAH.

Facial nerve preservation during surgery for removal of acoustic nerve tumors

1982 ◽  
Vol 57 (6) ◽  
pp. 739-746 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard H. Lye ◽  
John Dutton ◽  
Richard T. Ramsden ◽  
Joseph V. Occleshaw ◽  
Iain T. Ferguson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Facial Nerve ◽  
Petrous Bone ◽  
Ct Scans ◽  
Facial Weakness ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Nerve Preservation ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Acoustic Nerve ◽  
Facial Function ◽  
Fine Print

✓ A series of 33 patients with 35 acoustic nerve tumors is reviewed. Tumor size was estimated from computerized tomography (CT) scans, and its influence on anatomical and functional preservation of the facial nerve was assessed. Six tumors (one invading the petrous bone, three medium and two large tumors) were not detected on CT scans. The translabyrinthine approach was used in seven instances (one small and six medium tumors) and the suboccipital transmeatal approach for 28 tumors (seven medium and 21 large tumors). Anatomical preservation of the facial nerve was achieved in 83% of operations for tumor removal, two of which were subtotal. A further two patients underwent subtotal removal, but the facial nerve was destroyed. Large tumors carried an increased risk of damage to the facial nerve, but even in this group the nerve was preserved anatomically intact in 70% of cases. Damage to the facial nerve occurred more frequently in patients with preoperative evidence of facial weakness; however, this factor did not appear to influence functional recovery of the facial nerve, provided that the nerve was intact at the end of the operation. A simple grading system for facial nerve function is described. Only 76% of anatomically intact facial nerves showed any evidence of function 1 month after surgery. Postoperatively, facial function improved with time. At the latest review, 45% of these patients had normal facial function or mild facial weakness (Grades I and II).

Immediate administration of tranexamic acid and reduced incidence of early rebleeding after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage: a prospective randomized study

2002 ◽  
Vol 97 (4) ◽  
pp. 771-778 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Hillman ◽  
Steen Fridriksson ◽  
Ola Nilsson ◽  
Zhengquan Yu ◽  
Hans Säveland ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ◽  
Tranexamic Acid ◽  
Hospital Admission ◽  
Acid Treatment ◽  
Aneurysm Rupture ◽  
Clinical Findings ◽  
Ct Scans ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Fisher Grade ◽  
Fine Print

Object. By pursuing a policy of very early aneurysm treatment in neurosurgical centers, in-hospital rebleeds can be virtually eliminated. Nonetheless, as many as 15% of patients with aneurysm rupture suffer ultraearly rebleeding with high mortality rates, and these individuals are beyond the reach of even the most ambitious protocol for diagnosis and referral. Only drugs given immediately after the diagnosis of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) has been established at the local hospital level can, in theory, contribute to the minimization of such ultraearly rebleeding. The object of this randomized, prospective, multicenter study was to assess the efficacy of short-term antifibrinolytic treatment with tranexamic acid in preventing rebleeding. Methods. Only patients suffering SAH verified on computerized tomography (CT) scans within 48 hours prior to the first hospital admission were included. A 1-g dose of tranexamic acid was given intravenously as soon as diagnosis of SAH had been verified in the local hospitals (before the patients were transported), followed by doses of 1 g every 6 hours until the aneurysm was occluded; this treatment did not exceed 72 hours. In this study, 254 patients received tranexamic acid and 251 patients were randomized as controls. Age, sex, Hunt and Hess and Fisher grade distributions, as well as aneurysm locations, were congruent between the groups. Outcome was assessed at 6 months post-SAH by using the Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS). Vasospasm and delayed ischemic neurological deficits were classified according to clinical findings as well as by transcranial Doppler (TCD) studies. All events classified as rebleeding were verified on CT scans or during surgery. Conclusions. More than 90% of patients reached the neurosurgical center within 12 hours of their first hospital admission after SAH; 70% of all aneurysms were clipped or coils were inserted within 24 hours of the first hospital admission. Given the protocol, only one rebleed occurred later than 24 hours after the first hospital admission. Despite this strong emphasis on early intervention, however, a cluster of 27 very early rebleeds still occurred in the control group within hours of randomization into the study, and 13 of these patients died. In the tranexamic acid group, six patients rebled and two died. A reduction in the rebleeding rate from 10.8 to 2.4% and an 80% reduction in the mortality rate from early rebleeding with tranexamic acid treatment can therefore be inferred. Favorable outcome according to the GOS increased from 70.5 to 74.8%. According to TCD measurements and clinical findings, there were no indications of increased risk of either ischemic clinical manifestations or vasospasm that could be linked to tranexamic acid treatment. Neurosurgical guidelines for aneurysm rupture should extend also into the preneurosurgical phase to guarantee protection from ultraearly rebleeds. Currently available antifibrinolytic drugs can provide such protection, and at low cost. The number of potentially saved lives exceeds those lost to vasospasm.

Familial aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage: a community-based study

1995 ◽  
Vol 83 (3) ◽  
pp. 426-429 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wouter I. Schievink ◽  
Daniel J. Schaid ◽  
Virginia V. Michels ◽  
David G. Piepgras
Keyword(s):  
Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ◽  
Family History ◽  
Intracranial Aneurysms ◽  
Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ◽  
Familial Aggregation ◽  
Familial Occurrence ◽  
Content Type ◽  
First Degree Relatives ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Fine Print

✓ The familial occurrence of intracranial aneurysms has been well described. However, intracranial aneurysms are not rare and the great majority of reported families consist of only two affected members. Therefore, the familial aggregation of intracranial aneurysms could be fortuitous. The authors investigated the familial occurrence of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) in their community to determine whether family members of patients with a ruptured aneurysm are at an increased risk of developing an SAH. All 81 patients from Rochester, Minnesota, who suffered an SAH between 1970 and 1989 from a proven aneurysmal rupture were identified, and they or their families were contacted and a family history was obtained. The number of expected SAHs among first-degree relatives was calculated using previously established age- and sex-specific incidence rates in the community of Rochester. Of the 81 index patients, 76 had complete follow up for family history. Fifteen (20%) of these 76 patients had a first- or second-degree relative with aneurysmal SAH. The number of observed first-degree relatives with aneurysmal SAH was 11, compared to an expected number of 2.66, giving a relative risk of 4.14 (95% confidence interval 2.06–7.40; p < 0.001). In the authors' community, aneurysmal SAH was familial in one of five patients, and this familial aggregation was not fortuitous. The increase in familial risk of aneurysmal SAH is approximately fourfold among first-degree relatives.

Cocaine use as a predictor of outcome in aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage

2003 ◽  
Vol 99 (2) ◽  
pp. 271-275 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jay U. Howington ◽  
Scott C. Kutz ◽  
Gregory E. Wilding ◽  
Deepak Awasthi
Keyword(s):  
Statistical Analysis ◽  
Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ◽  
Retrospective Review ◽  
Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ◽  
User Group ◽  
Cocaine User ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cocaine Use ◽  
Poor Outcome ◽  
Fine Print

Object. The goal of this study was to analyze the relationship between cocaine use and outcomes of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Methods. A retrospective review was performed of the medical records of patients with intracranial aneurysms treated at a single institution between January 1996 and December 2001. Only patients who presented with SAH were included in the study. The covariates chosen for the statistical analysis included the following: patient age, sex, and race; systolic and mean arterial blood pressure measurements on hospital admission; Hunt and Hess and Fisher grades; preexistent major systemic disease; and history of alcohol, tobacco, or cocaine use. The Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) was used to standardize outcome and was dichotomized such that a score between 1 and 3 was considered a poor outcome and a score of 4 or 5 was considered a favorable outcome. The records of 151 patients were reviewed and 108 of these presented with aneurysmal SAH. Of these 108 patients, 36 (33.3%) had used cocaine within 24 hours before presentation. A Hunt and Hess grade of IV or V was assigned to 20 (55.6%) of 36 patients who used cocaine, compared with eight (11.1%) of 72 patients who did not; this difference was found to be statistically significant (p < 0.0001). Twenty-eight patients (77.8%) in the cocaine user group and 20 patients (27.8%) in the non—cocaine user group experienced clinically significant, angiographically confirmed vasospasm during their hospital course (p < 0.0001). Cocaine use was associated with a 2.8-fold greater risk of developing vasospasm (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.86–4.22). A GOS score of 1, 2, or 3 was assigned to 33 patients (91.7%) in the cocaine user group and to 20 patients (27.8%) in the non—cocaine user group (p < 0.0001). Cocaine use was associated with a 3.3-fold greater risk of poor outcome (95% CI 2.24–4.85). This association was found to be independent of Hunt and Hess grade as well as of vasospasm. Conclusions. Cocaine adversely affects both the presentation of and outcome in patients with aneurysmal SAH who are undergoing treatment for this disease. The vasoactive properties of the drug appear to aggravate the already tenuous situation of SAH and increase both the occurrence and influence of cerebral vasospasm. Statistical analysis demonstrates that cocaine directly affects both presentation and outcome in a significant manner. It is the authors' interpretation of the results of this retrospective review that cocaine use negatively affects outcome to such an extent that it should be considered equal to the presence of a major systemic illness when determining Hunt and Hess grade.

Leukocytosis as an independent risk factor for cerebral vasospasm following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage

2003 ◽  
Vol 98 (6) ◽  
pp. 1222-1226 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew J. McGirt ◽  
John C. Mavropoulos ◽  
Laura Y. McGirt ◽  
Michael J. Alexander ◽  
Allan H. Friedman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ◽  
Cerebral Vasospasm ◽  
Leukocyte Count ◽  
Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Symptomatic Vasospasm ◽  
Fisher Grade ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Grade 3 ◽  
Fine Print

Object. The identification of patients at an increased risk for cerebral vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) may allow for more aggressive treatment and improved patient outcomes. Note, however, that blood clot size on admission remains the only factor consistently demonstrated to increase the risk of cerebral vasospasm after SAH. The goal of this study was to assess whether clinical, radiographic, or serological variables could be used to identify patients at an increased risk for cerebral vasospasm. Methods. A retrospective review was conducted in all patients with aneurysmal or spontaneous nonaneurysmal SAH who were admitted to the authors' institution between 1995 and 2001. Underlying vascular diseases (hypertension or chronic diabetes mellitus), Hunt and Hess and Fisher grades, patient age, aneurysm location, craniotomy compared with endovascular aneurysm stabilization, medications on admission, postoperative steroid agent use, and the occurrence of fever, hydrocephalus, or leukocytosis were assessed as predictors of vasospasm. Two hundred twenty-four patients were treated for SAH during the review period. One hundred one patients (45%) developed symptomatic vasospasm. Peak vasospasm occurred 5.8 ± 3 days after SAH. There were four independent predictors of vasospasm: Fisher Grade 3 SAH (odds ratio [OR] 7.5, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.5–15.8), peak serum leukocyte count (OR 1.09, 95% CI 1.02–1.16), rupture of a posterior cerebral artery (PCA) aneurysm (OR 0.05, 95% CI 0.01–0.41), and spontaneous nonaneurysmal SAH (OR 0.14, 95% CI 0.04–0.45). A serum leukocyte count greater than 15 × 109/L was independently associated with a 3.3-fold increase in the likelihood of developing vasospasm (OR 3.33, 95% CI 1.74–6.38). Conclusions. During this 7-year period, spontaneous nonaneurysmal SAH and ruptured PCA aneurysms decreased the odds of developing vasospasm sevenfold and 20-fold, respectively. The presence of Fisher Grade 3 SAH on admission or a peak leukocyte count greater than 15 × 109/L increased the odds of vasospasm sevenfold and threefold, respectively. Monitoring of the serum leukocyte count may allow for early diagnosis and treatment of vasospasm.

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