Early management of poor-grade aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage: A prognostic analysis of 104 patients

Outcomes following poor-grade aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage: a prospective observational study

BACKGROUND

Up to 35% of aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (aSAH) cases may present as poor grade, defined as World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies (WFNS) grades IV and V. In this study, we evaluate functional outcomes and prognostic factors.

METHODS

This prospective study included all patients referred to a national, centralized neurosurgical service with a diagnosis of poor-grade aSAH between 01/01/2016 and 31/12/2019. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to estimate probability of poor functional outcomes, defined as a Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) of 1-3 at 3 months.

RESULTS

Two hundred fifty-seven patients were referred, of whom 116/257 (45.1%) underwent treatment of an aneurysm, with 97/116 (84%) treated within 48 h of referral. Median age was 62 years (IQR 51-69) with a female predominance (167/257, 65%). Untreated patients tended to be older; 123/141 (87%) had WFNS V, 60/141 (45%) unreactive pupils and 21/141 (16%) circulatory arrest. Of all referred patients, poor outcome occurred in 169/230 (73.5%). Unreactive pupils or circulatory arrest conferred a universally poor prognosis, with mortality in 55/56 (98%) and 19/19 (100%), respectively. The risk of a poor outcome was 14.1% (95% CI 4.5-23.6) higher in WFNS V compared with WFNS IV. Age was important in patients without circulatory arrest or unreactive pupils, with risk of a poor outcome increasing by 1.8% per year (95% CI 1-2.7). In patients undergoing aneurysm securement, 48/101 (47.5%) had a poor outcome, with age, rebleeding, vasospasm and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) diversion being important prognosticators. The addition of serum markers did not add significant discrimination beyond the clinical presentation.

CONCLUSIONS

The overall outcomes of WFNS IV and V aSAH remain poor, mainly due to the devastating effects of the original haemorrhage. However, in patients selected for aneurysm securement, good outcomes can be achieved in more than half of patients. Age, pre-intervention rebleeding, vasospasm, and CSF diversion are important prognostic factors.

Timing of operation for poor-grade aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage: Relationship with delayed cerebral ischemia and poor prognosis

AIMS

To assess differences in the clinical prognosis between different treatment timings in poor-grade (Hunt and Hess grade 4-5) aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage patients.

METHODS

The treated 127 poor-grade aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage patients were divided into three groups: early treatment within 2 days, treatment on days 3 to 10, and treatment for more than 10 days after the hemorrhage. Odd ratios with a 95% confidence interval were calculated in logistic regression for different timing strategies regarding delayed cerebral ischemia and poor prognosis at 3 months. Subgroup analyses were conducted to determine whether the different timing strategies affect the prognosis.

RESULTS

Patients who received the treatment on days 3 to 10 were prone to develop delayed cerebral ischemia and poor prognosis at 3 months. Postponing treatment in patients older than 55 years or diagnosed with an intraventricular hematoma on the initial computed tomography scan may lead to poor prognosis, with the early intervention group as a reference.

CONCLUSIONS

Early intervention in poor-grade aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage is suggested to be implemented. The treatment on 3 to 10 days harbored the highest risk of poor prognosis; patients might benefit more from early intervention, especially for ones older than 55 years or diagnosed with an intraventricular hematoma.

A novel nomogram model for clinical outcomes of severe subarachnoid hemorrhage patients

Background

Systemic responses, especially inflammatory responses, after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) are closely related to clinical outcomes. Our study aimed to explore the correlation between the systemic responses in the acute stage and the mid-term outcomes of severe SAH patients (Hunt-Hess grade III-V).

Materials and methods

Severe SAH patients admitted to Jinling Hospital from January 2015 to December 2019 were retrospectively analyzed in the study. The univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to explore the risk factors of 6-month clinical outcomes in severe SAH patients. A predictive model was established based on those risk factors and was visualized by a nomogram. Then, the predictive nomogram model was validated in another severe SAH patient cohort from January 2020 to January 2022.

Results

A total of 194 patients were enrolled in this study. 123 (63.4%, 123 of 194) patients achieved good clinical outcomes at the 6-month follow-up. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that age, Hunt-Hess grade, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and complications not related to operations were independent risk factors for unfavorable outcomes at 6-month follow-up. The areas under the curve (AUC) analysis showed that the predictive model based on the above four variables was significantly better than the Hunt-Hess grade (0.812 vs. 0.685, P = 0.013). In the validation cohort with 44 severe SAH patients from three different clinical centers, the AUC of the prognostic nomogram model was 0.893.

Conclusion

The predictive nomogram model could be a reliable predictive tool for the outcome of severe SAH patients. Systemic inflammatory responses after SAH and complications not related to operations, especially hydrocephalus, delayed cerebral ischemia, and pneumonia, might be the important risk factors that lead to poor outcomes in severe SAH patients.

Early predictors of functional outcome in poor-grade aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Patients with poor-grade aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) often receive delayed or no aneurysm treatment, although recent studies suggest that functional outcome following early aneurysm treatment has improved. We aimed to systematically review and meta-analyze early predictors of functional outcome in poor-grade aSAH patients.  METHODS: We included studies investigating the association of early predictors and functional outcome in adult patients with confirmed poor-grade aSAH, defined as World Federation of Neurological Surgeons (WFNS) grade or Hunt and Hess (H-H) grade IV-V. Studies had to use multivariable regression analysis to estimate independent predictor effects of favorable functional outcome measured with the Glasgow Outcome Scale or modified Rankin Scale. We calculated pooled adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) with random effects models.  RESULTS: We included 27 studies with 3287 patients. The likelihood of favorable outcome increased with WFNS grade or H-H grade IV versus V (aOR 2.9, 95% CI 1.9-4.3), presence of clinical improvement before aneurysm treatment (aOR 3.3, 95% CI 2.0-5.3), and intact pupillary light reflex (aOR 2.9, 95% CI 1.6-5.1), and decreased with older age (aOR 0.7, 95% CI 0.5-1.0, per decade), increasing modified Fisher grade (aOR 0.4, 95% CI 0.3-0.5, per grade), and presence of intracerebral hematoma on admission imaging (aOR 0.4, 95% CI 0.2-0.8).

CONCLUSIONS

We present a summary of early predictors of functional outcome in poor-grade aSAH patients that can help to discriminate between patients with favorable and with unfavorable prognosis and may aid in selecting patients for early aneurysm treatment.

Scoring Model to Predict Functional Outcome in Poor-Grade Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

Background: Patients with poor-grade aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH), defined as World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies (WFNS) grades IV–V have high rates of disability and mortality. The objective of this study was to accurately prognosticate the outcomes of patients with poor-grade aSAH by developing a new scoring model.

Methods: A total of 147 poor-grade aSAH patients in our center were enrolled. Risk variables identified by multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to devise a scoring model (total score, 0–9 points). The scores were estimated on the basis of β coefficients. A cohort of 68 patients from another institute was used to validate the model.

Results: Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that modified Fisher grade >2 [odds ratio [OR], 2.972; P = 0.034], age ≥65 years (OR, 3.534; P = 0.006), conservative treatment (OR, 5.078; P = 0.019), WFNS grade V (OR, 2.638; P = 0.029), delayed cerebral ischemia (OR, 3.170; P = 0.016), shunt-dependent hydrocephalus (OR, 3.202; P = 0.032), and cerebral herniation (OR, 7.337; P < 0.001) were significant predictors for poor prognosis [modified Rankin Scale [mRS] ≥3]. A scoring system was constructed by the integration of these factors and divided the poor-grade aSAH patients into three categories: low risk (0–1 points), intermediate risk (2–3 points), and high risk (4–9 points), with predicted risks of poor prognosis of 11, 52, and 87%, respectively (P < 0.001). The area under the curve in the derivation cohort was 0.844 (95% CI, 0.778–0.909). The AUC in the validation cohort was 0.831 (95% CI, 0.732–0.929).

Conclusions: The new scoring model can improve prognostication and help decision-making for subsequent complementary treatment in patients with aSAH.

Clinical Efficacy and Quality of Life Follow-Up of Reconstructive Endovascular Therapy for Acute Intracranial Vertebral Artery Dissection Aneurysms

Background: Intracranial vertebral artery dissection aneurysms (VADAs) may cause acute ischemia or hemorrhage, in which case urgent endovascular treatment will be needed. Although the majority of patients obtain a good functional outcome after surgery, a surprising finding has been a poor quality of life (QOL) in follow-up. The purpose of this study was to evaluate clinical efficacy in reconstructive endovascular therapy for acute intracranial VADAs and to analyze the factors contributing to subsequent QOL.

Methods: In this prospective study, 33 consecutive VADA patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage were recruited for comparison with 37 VADA patients with posterior circulation cerebral ischemia. All VADA patients were treated using a reconstructive strategy. Clinical, radiological, neurological, and cognitive data, as well as QOL, were assessed at admission and 6 months after surgery. Stoke Specific Quality of Life (SS-QOL) was evaluated for patients with good functional outcome [modified Ranking Scale (mRS) scoring 0-2] for subgroup analysis. Predictors for QOL at follow-up were analyzed by regression model.

Results: Immediate angiography after surgery showed complete VADA obliteration in 57 (81.4%) patients and partial obliteration in 13 (18.6%) patients. Three (4.3%) cases suffered from perioperative complications, comprising two cases of stent thrombosis in the hemorrhagic group and one case of posterior inferior cerebellar artery occlusion in the ischemic group. Twenty-five (75.8%) patients in the hemorrhagic group and 30 (81.1%) patients in the ischemic group had a favorable outcome (mRS scoring 0-2) at 6-month follow-up. Follow-up angiography displayed that one case of recurrence occurred separately in both groups. Fifteen of the 33 hemorrhagic patients (45.5%) and 19 of the 37 ischemic patients (51.4%) rated QOL at follow-up as bad (SS-QOL score ≤ 3.9) despite a good functional outcome. Severity of neurological disorder and impaired neurocognition at baseline in VADA patients are proved to be independent predictors for the decline of QOL according to regression analysis.

Conclusion: Reconstructive endovascular therapy for acute intracranial VADAs is a safe and effective method with a low complication rate. VADAs lead to impaired QOL at 6-month follow-up, which is attributable to multiple factors. This study demonstrated that neurological and cognitive status at baseline is of significant importance for QOL after VADAs.