Lobar intracerebral hemorrhage and risk of subsequent uncontrolled blood pressure

Subcortical hemorrhage caused by cerebral amyloid angiopathy compared with hypertensive hemorrhage

OBJECTIVES

Most published reports on lobular hemorrhage in cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) include patients diagnosed only by imaging studies. This study analyzed patients with subcortical hemorrhage histologically diagnosed as CAA or non-CAA (hypertensive).

METHODS

This is a retrospective study analyzing data from 100 craniotomy cases. Tissue of hematoma cavity wall was collected for histological investigation in hematoma removal by surgery in patients with subcortical hemorrhage. Statistical analyses of blood pressure, hematoma location and volume, outcome, and mortality was performed in CAA and non-CAA groups.

RESULTS

There were 47 CAA and 53 non-CAA cases, and average age was significantly older in the CAA group (p < 0.01). Blood pressure was significantly lower (p < 0.01) but hematoma volume was significantly greater (p < 0.05) in the CAA group. Rebleeding occurred in two CAA cases and one non-CAA case, but no re-operations were required. Average score of modified Rankin Scale, which is used to measure the degree of disability in patients who have had a stroke, at three months after surgery was not significantly different between the two groups (CAA: 3.94 ± 1.28, non-CAA: 3.58 ± 1.50). There were seven deaths in the CAA and six in the non-CAA group, and intraventricular hemorrhage highly complicated in the death cases in both groups. In the CAA group, average age of the fatal cases was significantly older than that of the surviving cases (p < 0.05) and six cases demonstrated dementia before onset of hemorrhage.

CONCLUSIONS

Surgical removal of a subcortical hemorrhage caused by CAA is not contraindicated. However, age > 80 years, complication with intraventricular hemorrhage, hematoma volume ≥ 50 ml, and dementia before onset of hemorrhage contribute to high mortality, and craniotomy should be carefully considered for such patients. A limitation of this study is that comparison between CAA and non-CAA groups was performed in the patients with only surgically indicated ICH, and does not evaluate entire ICH cases with CAA. However, this study appropriately compared pathologically diagnosed CAA and non-CAA in patients with moderate to severe lobular ICH with surgical indications.

Secondary prevention after intracerebral haemorrhage

BACKGROUND

Intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) has high mortality in the acute phase and poor functional outcome in the majority of survivors. ICH recurrence is a major determinant of long-term prognosis and is the most feared complication of antithrombotic treatment. On the other hand, ICH patients are at high risk of future ischaemic vascular events.

METHODS

This narrative review provides a critical analysis of the current knowledge on the topic. We performed a Pubmed search with the following terms 'intracerebral haemorrhage', 'stroke', 'outcome', 'secondary prevention', 'anticoagulation' and 'atrial fibrillation', including only English written studies with no time restrictions.

RESULTS

Blood pressure management is the cornerstone of secondary ICH prevention, regardless of ICH location or underlying cerebral small vessel disease. Resumption of antiplatelet and anticoagulation therapy is often challenging, with limited evidence from randomized trials. Clinical and imaging predictors can inform the stratification of ICH recurrence risk and might identify patients at very high probability of future haemorrhagic events. This narrative review provides a summary of the main diagnostic tools and therapeutic strategies available for secondary prevention in ICH survivors.

CONCLUSION

Appropriate recognition and treatment of modifiable risk factors for ICH recurrence might improve outcomes in ICH survivors. Ongoing randomized trials might provide novel insights and improve long-term management.