2023 Guideline for the Management of Patients With Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: A Guideline From the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association

AIM

The "2023 Guideline for the Management of Patients With Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage" replaces the 2012 "Guidelines for the Management of Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage." The 2023 guideline is intended to provide patient-centric recommendations for clinicians to prevent, diagnose, and manage patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.

METHODS

A comprehensive search for literature published since the 2012 guideline, derived from research principally involving human subjects, published in English, and indexed in MEDLINE, PubMed, Cochrane Library, and other selected databases relevant to this guideline, was conducted between March 2022 and June 2022. In addition, the guideline writing group reviewed documents on related subject matter previously published by the American Heart Association. Newer studies published between July 2022 and November 2022 that affected recommendation content, Class of Recommendation, or Level of Evidence were included if appropriate. Structure: Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage is a significant global public health threat and a severely morbid and often deadly condition. The 2023 aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage guideline provides recommendations based on current evidence for the treatment of these patients. The recommendations present an evidence-based approach to preventing, diagnosing, and managing patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage, with the intent to improve quality of care and align with patients' and their families' and caregivers' interests. Many recommendations from the previous aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage guidelines have been updated with new evidence, and new recommendations have been created when supported by published data.

Feasibility and Safety of Repeat Instant Endovascular Interventions in Patients with Refractory Cerebral Vasospasms

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

For patients with cerebral vasospasm refractory to medical and hemodynamic therapies, endovascular therapies often remain the last resort. Data from studies in large cohorts on the efficacy and safety of multiple immediate endovascular interventions are sparse. Our aim was to assess the feasibility and safety of multiple repeat instant endovascular interventions in patients with cerebral vasospasm refractory to medical, hemodynamic, and initial endovascular interventions.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This was a single-center retrospective study of prospectively collected data on patients with cerebral vasospasm refractory to therapies requiring ≥3 endovascular interventions during the course of treatment following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. The primary end point was functional outcome at last follow-up (mRS ≤2). The secondary end point was angiographic response to endovascular therapies and the appearance of cerebral infarctions.

RESULTS

During a 4-year period, 365 patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage were treated at our institution. Thirty-one (8.5%) met the inclusion criteria. In 52 (14%) patients, ≤2 endovascular interventions were performed as rescue therapy for refractory cerebral vasospasm. At last follow-up, a good outcome was noted in 18 (58%) patients with ≥3 interventions compared with 31 (61%) of those with ≤2 interventions (P = .82). The initial Hunt and Hess score of ≤2 was a significant independent predictor of good outcome (OR, 4.7; 95% CI, 1.2-18.5; P = .03), whereas infarcts in eloquent brain areas were significantly associated with a poor outcome (mRS 3-6; OR, 13.5; 95% CI, 2.3-81.2; P = .004).

CONCLUSIONS

Repeat instant endovascular intervention is an aggressive but feasible last resort treatment strategy with a favorable outcome in two-thirds of patients with refractory cerebral vasospasm and in whom endovascular treatment has already been initiated.

Cerebral vasospasm

Cerebral vasospasm causes delayed ischemic neurologic deficits after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. This is a well-established clinical entity with significant associated morbidity and mortality. The underlying patholphysiology is highly complex and poorly understood. Large-vessel vasospasm, autoregulatory dysfunction, inflammation, genetic predispositions, microcirculatory failure, and spreading cortical depolarization are aspects of delayed neurologic deterioration that have been described in the literature. This article presents a perspective on cerebral vasospasm, as guided by the literature to date, specifically examining the mechanism, diagnosis, and treatment of cerebral vasospasm.