Predictors of 30-day mortality and 90-day functional recovery after primary intracerebral hemorrhage : hospital based multivariate analysis in 585 patients

Based on hematoma and perihematomal tissue NCCT imaging radiomics predicts early clinical outcome of conservatively treated spontaneous cerebral hemorrhage

Spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is a very serious kind of stroke. If the outcome of patients can be accurately assessed at the early stage of disease occurrence, it will be of great significance to the patients and clinical treatment. The present study was conducted to investigate whether non-contrast computer tomography (NCCT) models of hematoma and perihematomal tissues could improve the accuracy of short-term prognosis prediction in ICH patients with conservative treatment. In this retrospective analysis, a total of 166 ICH patients with conservative treatment during hospitalization were included. Patients were randomized into a training group (N = 132) and a validation group (N = 34) in a ratio of 8:2, and the functional outcome at 90 days after clinical treatment was assessed by the modified Rankin Scale (mRS). Radiomic features of hematoma and perihematomal tissues of 5 mm, 10 mm, 15 mm were extracted from NCCT images. Clinical factors were analyzed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression to identify independent predictive factors. In the validation group, the mean area under the ROC curve (AUC) of the hematoma was 0.830, the AUC of the perihematomal tissue within 5 mm, 10 mm, 15 mm was 0.792, 0.826, 0.774, respectively, and the AUC of the combined model of hematoma and perihematomal tissue within 10 mm was 0.795. The clinical-radiomics nomogram consisting of five independent predictors and radiomics score (Rad-score) of the hematoma model were used to assess 90-day functional outcome in ICH patients with conservative treatment. Our findings found that the hematoma model had better discriminative efficacy in evaluating the early prognosis of conservatively managed ICH patients. The visual clinical-radiomics nomogram provided a more intuitive individualized risk assessment for 90-day functional outcome in ICH patients with conservative treatment. The hematoma could remain the primary therapeutic target for conservatively managed ICH patients, emphasizing the need for future clinical focus on the biological significance of the hematoma itself.

Incidence of Altered Level of Consciousness in Hemorrhagic Stroke Survivors: Associated Factors From a Korean Nationwide Study

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to demonstrate the incidence of altered level of consciousness after hemorrhagic stroke and identify factors associated with altered level of consciousness at 3 mos after stroke.

DESIGN

This study used data from a prospective multicenter cohort study conducted in nine hospitals in Korea and included 1677 patients with first-ever hemorrhagic stroke. Patients were dichotomized into those with and without altered level of consciousness at 3 mos after stroke. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with subacute to chronic stage altered level of consciousness.

RESULTS

Among patients with hemorrhagic stroke (age: 20-99 yrs, female 50.21%), the prevalence of altered level of consciousness at admission was 38.58% (25.4% [drowsy], 6.38% [stupor], and 6.8% [coma]) and 17.29% 3 mos after stroke. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that independent factors associated with altered level of consciousness at 3 mos after stroke included late seizure (odds ratio [95% confidence interval], 5.93 [1.78-20.00]), stroke progression (3.84 [1.48-9.64]), craniectomy (2.19 [1.19-4.00]), history of complications (1.74 [1.18-2.55]), age at stroke onset (1.08 [1.07-1.10]), and initial Glasgow Coma Scale score category (0.36 [0.30-0.44]).

CONCLUSIONS

The factors associated with altered level of consciousness at 3 mos after stroke should be considered when explaining long-term consciousness status and focused management of modifiable factors in acute care hospitals could help ameliorate altered level of consciousness and promote recovery after stroke.

Curative effect analysis of robot-assisted drainage surgery in treatment of spontaneous hypertensive brainstem hemorrhage

Objective

Spontaneous hypertensive brainstem hemorrhage (HBSH) is characterized by sudden onset, rapid progression and poor prognosis. There has been a growing tendency of surgical treatment for HBSH. This study aimed to investigate outcomes and potential factors associated with the prognosis of robot-assisted drainage surgery for HBSH treatment.

Methods

Patients with HBSH from July 2016 to March 2023 at a single neurosurgery center were included and divided into conservative group and surgical groups. Baseline and clinical data, radiographic characteristics, complications, and outcome evaluations were recorded and analyzed.

Results

A total of 125 patients, with 74 in the conservative group and 51 in the surgical group, were enrolled in the study. Mortality at 6 months was 59/74 (79.7%) in the conservative group and 9/51 (17.6%) in the surgical group. Twenty-four patients (47.1%) achieved favorable outcomes in the surgical group, whereas this rate in the conservative group was only 5.4% (4/74). There was a significant difference in NIHSS, GCS, and mRS at 6 months between surviving patients in the conservative and surgical groups. In prognostic analysis in the surgical subgroup, initial GCS score [5 (IQR 4-7) vs. 3 (IQR 3-4), p < 0.001], NIHSS [36 (IQR 32-38) vs. 40 (IQR 38-40), p < 0.001], smoking history [45.8% (11/24) vs. 74.1% (20/27), p = 0.039], hematoma volume [6.9 (IQR 6.2-7.6) vs. 9.6 (IQR 7.3-11.4), p = 0.001], and hemorrhage location (p = 0.001) were potential risk factors for poor 6-month prognosis after robot-assisted surgery for HBSH.

Conclusion

Based on the results of this study, robot-assisted minimally invasive drainage of brain stem hematoma may significantly reduce mortality and improve prognosis. Surgery should be conducted for selected patients.

Development and validation of a novel clinical prediction model to predict the 90-day functional outcome of spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage

Background

Spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (SICH) is associated with high mortality and disability. Accurately predicting adverse prognostic risks of SICH is helpful in developing risk stratification and precision medicine strategies for this phenomenon.

Methods

We analyzed 413 patients with SICH admitted to Hefei Second People's Hospital as a training cohort, considering 74 patients from the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University for external validation. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to select risk factors for 90-day functional outcomes, and a nomogram was developed to predict their incidence in patients. Discrimination, fitting performance, and clinical utility of the resulting nomogram were evaluated through receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), calibration plots, and decision curves analysis (DCA), respectively.

Results

Of the 413 patients, 180 had a poor prognosis. Univariate analysis showed significant variance of age, systolic pressure, intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores, National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores, and hematoma volume between the groups (p < 0.05). Logistic multivariate regression analysis showed that age, IVH, NIHSS, and hematoma volume were associated with unfavorable outcomes. Based on the results, a nomogram model was developed with an area under the ROC curve of 0.91 (95% CI; 0.88-0.94) and 0.89 (95% CI; 0.80-0.95) in the training and validation sets, respectively. In the validation set, the accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of the model were 0.851, 0.923, 0.812, 0.727, and 0.951, respectively. The calibration plot demonstrates the goodness of fit between the nomogram predictions and actual observations. Finally, DCA indicated significant clinical adaptability.

Conclusion

We developed and validated a short-term prognostic nomogram model for patients with SICH including NIHSS scores, age, hematoma volume, and IVH. This model has valuable potential in predicting the prognosis of patients with SICH.

Patient outcomes before and after implementation of a selective pre-hospital spinal immobilization protocol: A comparative cohort pilot study in a level 2 trauma center

BACKGROUND

A new selective preventive spinal immobilization (PSI) protocol was introduced in the Netherlands. This may have led to an increase in non-immobilized spinal fractures (NISFs) and consequently adverse patient outcomes.

AIM

A pilot study was conducted to describe the adverse patient outcomes in NISF of the PSI protocol change and assess the feasibility of a larger effect study.

METHODS

Retrospective comparative cohort pilot study including records of trauma patients with a presumed spinal injury who were presented at the emergency department of a level 2 trauma center by the emergency medical service (EMS). The pre-period 2013-2014 (strict PSI protocol), was compared to the post-period 2017-2018 (selective PSI protocol). Primary outcomes were the percentage of records with a NISF who had an adverse patient outcome such as neurological injuries and mortality before and after the protocol change. Secondary outcomes were the sample size calculation for a larger study and the feasibility of data collection.

RESULTS

1,147 records were included; 442 pre-period, and 705 post-period. The NISF-prevalence was 10% (95% CI 7-16, n = 19) and 8% (95% CI 6-11, n = 33), respectively. In both periods, no neurological injuries or mortality due to NISF were found, by which calculating a sample size is impossible. Data collection showed to be feasible.

CONCLUSIONS

No neurological injuries or mortality due to NISF were found in a strict and a selective PSI protocol. Therefore, a larger study is discouraged. Future studies should focus on which patients really profit from PSI and which patients do not.

Location-Specific Hematoma Volume Cutoff and Clinical Outcomes in Intracerebral Hemorrhage

BACKGROUND

Major intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) trials have largely been unable to demonstrate therapeutic benefit in improving functional outcomes. This may be partly due to the heterogeneity of ICH outcomes based on their location, where a small strategic ICH could be debilitating, thus confounding therapeutic effects. We aimed to determine the ideal hematoma volume cutoff for different ICH locations in predicting ICH outcomes.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed consecutive ICH patients enrolled in the University of Hong Kong prospective stroke registry from January 2011 to December 2018. Patients with premorbid modified Rankin Scale score >2 or who underwent neurosurgical intervention were excluded. ICH volume cutoff, sensitivity, and specificity in predicting respective 6-month neurological outcomes (good [modified Rankin Scale score 0-2], poor [modified Rankin Scale score 4-6], and mortality) for specific ICH locations were determined using receiver operating characteristic curves. Separate multivariate logistic regression models were also conducted for each location-specific volume cutoff to determine whether these cutoffs were independently associated with respective outcomes.

RESULTS

Among 533 ICHs, the volume cutoff for good outcome according to ICH location was 40.5 mL for lobar, 32.5 mL for putamen/external capsule, 5.5 mL for internal capsule/globus pallidus, 6.5 mL for thalamus, 17 mL for cerebellum, and 3 mL for brainstem. ICH smaller than the cutoff for all supratentorial sites had higher odds of good outcomes (all P<0.05). Volumes exceeding 48 mL for lobar, 41 mL for putamen/external capsule, 6 mL for internal capsule/globus pallidus, 9.5 mL for thalamus, 22 mL for cerebellum, and 7.5 mL for brainstem were at greater risk of poor outcomes (all P<0.05). Mortality risks were significantly higher for volumes that exceeded 89.5 mL for lobar, 42 mL for putamen/external capsule, and 21 mL for internal capsule/globus pallidus (all P<0.001). All receiver operating characteristic models for location-specific cutoffs had good discriminant values (area under the curve >0.8), except in predicting good outcome for cerebellum.

CONCLUSIONS

ICH outcomes differed with location-specific hematoma size. Location-specific volume cutoff should be considered in patient selection for ICH trials.

Constructing and Validating a Nomogram for Survival in Patients without Hypertension in Hypertensive Intracerebral Hemorrhage-Related Locations

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to evaluate the risk factors for patients, who had hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH)-specific location hemorrhage without hypertensive history, to elucidate a novel and detailed understanding.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective review to identify patients diagnosed with hemorrhage in hypertensive ICH-specific locations without hypertensive history between January 2011 and December 2019 from West China Hospital. A least absolute shrinkage and selector operation (LASSO) algorithm was used to select the optimal prognostic factors, and then we performed a multivariable logistic analysis. To verify the accuracy of the nomogram in predicting patient outcome, we used Harrell's statistics, area under the curve, and a calibration as well as decision curves.

RESULTS

The LASSO method, at a tenfold cross-validation for 7-day mortality, 90-day mortality, and 90-day morbidity, was applied to construct the prognosis-predicting models. Both a higher Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score at admission and larger hematoma volume ≥13.64 mL were independently associated with better survival at 7 days and 90 days in multivariate analysis. Lactic dehydrogenase >250 IU/L and neutrophilic granulocyte/lymphocyte ratio in 1 increase were significantly associated with poor outcome at 90 days. Only one factor (GCS score at 7 days) influencing 90-day morbidity remained in a LASSO model.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, the GCS score, hematoma volume, and other laboratory factors (Lactic dehydrogenase and neutrophilic granulocyte/lymphocyte ratio) were related to survival. Our current findings of the specific location ICH need to be proven by a large randomized controlled trial study.

Accuracy of automated intracerebral hemorrhage volume measurement on non-contrast computed tomography: a Swedish Stroke Register cohort study

PURPOSE

Hematoma volume is the strongest predictor of patient outcome after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). The aim of this study was to validate novel fully automated software for quantification of ICH volume on non-contrast computed tomography (CT).

METHODS

The population was defined from the Swedish Stroke Register (RS) and included all patients with an ICH diagnosis during 2016-2019 in Region Skåne. Hemorrhage volume on their initial head CT was measured using ABC/2 and manual segmentation (Sectra IDS7 volume measurement tool) and the automated volume quantification tool (qER-NCCT) by Qure.ai. The first 500 were examined by two independent readers.

RESULTS

A total of 1649 ICH patients were included. The qER-NCCT had 97% sensitivity in identifying ICH. In total, there was excellent agreement between volumetric measurements of ICH volumes by qER-NCCT and manual segmentation by interclass correlation (ICC = 0.96), and good agreement (ICC = 0.86) between qER-NCCT and ABC/2 method. The qER-NCCT showed volume underestimation, mainly in large (> 30 ml) heterogenous hemorrhages. Interrater agreement by (ICC) was 0.996 (95% CI: 0.99-1.00) for manual segmentation.

CONCLUSION

Our study showed excellent agreement in volume quantification between the fully automated software qER-NCCT and manual segmentation of ICH on NCCT. The qER-NCCT would be an important additive tool by aiding in early diagnostics and prognostication for patients with ICH and in provide volumetry on a population-wide level. Further refinement of the software should address the underestimation of ICH volume seen in a portion of large, heterogenous, irregularly shaped ICHs.

Raised Blood Urea Nitrogen-Creatinine Ratio as a Predictor of Mortality at 30 Days in Spontaneous Intracerebral Hemorrhage: An Experience from a Tertiary Care Center

Background

Spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (SICH) accounts for 7.5%-30% of all strokes and carries higher morbidity and mortality. Raised blood urea nitrogen and creatinine ratio (BUNR) is a marker of dehydration and related to poor outcome in stroke patients. However, the ratio varies between 15 and 80 in different studies. The aim of the present study was to assess BUNR as an independent predictor of mortality and its sensitivity and specificity in predicting outcome in the SICH population.

Materials and Methods

Patients above the age of 18 years with SICH who were admitted in the Department of Neurology at Sir Sunderlal Hospital, Banaras Hindu University between January 2018 and July 2020 were enrolled in the study and prospectively followed up. Demographic, clinical, radiological, and outcome parameters were recorded.

Results

A total of 217 patients were included. Of these, 137 (63%) were males. Seventy-one patients died during the initial 30 days. Number of patients with intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH; P = 0.003), higher mean intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) volume (P < 0.001) and midline shift (P = 0.021), and poor Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score (<9) (P = 0.040) was more in the group which did not survive. Mean level of urea was significantly lower among survivors than in those who died (P = 0.001). BUNR was also significantly higher in those who died than in those who survived (P = 0.001). BUNR with a cutoff value of 39.17 was significantly associated with mortality at 30 days with a sensitivity and specificity of 61.97% and 62.33%, respectively. On performing two different multivariable logistic studies, it was found that model B with BUNR ratio as a predictor of mortality out performed model A (without BUNR).

Conclusions

The study showed that SICH was associated with significant mortality. Independent predictors of death at 30 days were lower GCS on admission, larger hematoma volume, and BUNR of more than 39.17.

Clinico-radiological related to early brain death factors

OBJECTIVE

To identify clinical and radiological factors associated to early evolution to brain death (BD), defined as occurring within the first 24 h.

DESIGN

A retrospective cohort study was made covering the period 2015-2017.

SETTING

An adult Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

PATIENTS/METHODS

Epidemiological, clinical and imaging (CT scan) parameters upon admission to the ICU in patients evolving to BD.

RESULTS

A total of 166 patients with BD (86 males, mean age 62.7 years) were analyzed. Primary cause: intracerebral hemorrhage 42.8%, subarachnoid hemorrhage 18.7%, traumatic brain injury 17.5%, anoxia 9%, stroke 7.8%, other causes 4.2%. Epidemiological data: arterial hypertension 50%, dyslipidemia 34%, smoking 33%, antiplatelet medication 21%, alcoholism 19%, anticoagulant therapy 15%, diabetes 15%. The Glasgow Coma Score (GCS) upon admission was 3 in 68.8% of the cases in early BD versus in 38.2% of the cases in BD occurring after 24 h (p = 0.0001). Eighty-five patients presented supratentorial hematomas with a volume of 90.9 ml in early BD versus 82.7 ml in BD > 24 h (p = 0.54). The mean midline shift was 10.7 mm in early BD versus 7.8 mm in BD > 24 h (p = 0.045). Ninety-one patients presented ventriculomegaly and 38 additionally ependymal transudation (p = 0.021). Thirty-six patients with early BD versus 24 with BD > 24 h presented complete effacement of basal cisterns (p = 0.005), sulcular effacement (p = 0.013), loss of cortico-subcortical differentiation (p = 0.0001) and effacement of the suprasellar cistern (p = 0.005). The optic nerve sheath measurements showed no significant differences between groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Early BD (>24 h) was associated to GCS < 5, midline shift, effacement of the basal cisterns, cerebral sulci and suprasellar cistern, and ependymal transudation.

Construction of a nomogram to reveal the prognostic benefit of spontaneous intracranial hemorrhage among Chinese adults: a population-based study

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

We aimed to build a nomogram, based on patients with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (SICH), to predict the probability of mortality and morbidity at 7 days and 90 days, respectively.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective study, with patients at less than 6 h from ictus admitted to the department of neurosurgery in a single institute, from January 2011 to December 2018. A total of 1036 patients with SICH were included, 486 patients (46.9%) were 47-66 years old at diagnosis, and 711 patients (68.6%) were male. The least absolute shrinkage and section operator method was performed to identify the key adverse factors predicting the outcomes in patients with SICH, and multivariate logistic regression analysis was built on these variables, and then the results were visualized by a nomogram. The discrimination of the prognostic models was measured and compared by means of Harrell's concordance index (C-index), calibration curve, area under the curve (AUC), and decision curve analysis (DCA).

RESULTS

Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that factors affecting 7-day mortality, including the following: age, therapy, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) admission, location, ventricle involved, hematoma volume, white blood cell (WBC), uric acid (UA), and L-lactic dehydrogenase (LDH); and factors affecting 90-day mortality, including temperature, therapy, GCS admission, ventricle involved, WBC, international normalized ratio, UA, LDH, and systolic blood pressure. The C-index for the 7-day mortality and 90-day mortality prediction nomogram was 0.9239 (95% CI = 0.9061-0.9416) and 0.9241 (95% CI = 0.9064-0.9418), respectively. The AUC of 7-day mortality was 92.4, as is true of 90-day mortality. The calibration curve and DCA indicated that nomograms in our study had a good prediction ability. For 90-day morbidity, age, marital status, and GCS at 7-day remained statistically significant in multivariate analysis. The C-index for the prediction nomogram was 0.6898 (95% CI = 0.6511-0.7285), and the calibration curve, AUC as well as DCA curve indicated that the nomogram for the prediction of good outcome demonstrated good agreement in this cohort.

CONCLUSIONS

Nomograms in this study revealed many novel prognostic demographic and laboratory factors, and the individualized quantitative risk estimation by this model would be more practical for treatment management and patient counseling.

Prognostic molecular markers for motor recovery in acute hemorrhagic stroke: A systematic review

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Molecular biomarkers are associated with poor prognosis in ischemic stroke individuals. However, it might not be generalizable to post-acute hemorrhagic stroke since the underlying mechanisms of this brain damage differ from those found in ischemic stroke. The main purpose of this review was to synthesize the potential predictive molecular biomarkers for motor recovery following acute hemorrhagic stroke.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

An electronic search was conducted by 2 independent reviewers in the following databases: PubMed (Medline), EMBASE, Web of Science, and CINAHL. We included studies that addressed the following: collected blood, urine, or cerebrospinal fluid samples within 72 h after hemorrhagic stroke and that reported the prognostic association with functional motor recovery for each molecular biomarker. Screening of titles, abstracts, and full texts and data extraction were undertaken independently by pairs of reviewers.

RESULTS

Twelve thousand, five hundred and sixty-four studies were identified and 218 were considered eligible. Finally, we included 70 studies, with 96 biomarkers analyzed, of which 61 were considered as independent prognostic biomarkers, and 10 presented controversial results.

CONCLUSION

This systematic review shows that motor functional recovery can be predicted by 61 independent prognostic molecular biomarkers assessed in the acute phase after a hemorrhagic stroke.

Clinico-radiological related to early brain death factors

OBJECTIVE

To identify clinical and radiological factors associated to early evolution to brain death (BD), defined as occurring within the first 24 hours.

DESIGN

A retrospective cohort study was made covering the period 2015-2017.

SETTING

An adult Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

PATIENTS/METHODS

Epidemiological, clinical and imaging (CT scan) parameters upon admission to the ICU in patients evolving to BD.

RESULTS

A total of 166 patients with BD (86 males, mean age 62.7 years) were analyzed. Primary cause: intracerebral hemorrhage 42.8%, subarachnoid hemorrhage 18.7%, traumatic brain injury 17.5%, anoxia 9%, stroke 7.8%, other causes 4.2%. Epidemiological data: arterial hypertension 50%, dyslipidemia 34%, smoking 33%, antiplatelet medication 21%, alcoholism 19%, anticoagulant therapy 15%, diabetes 15%. The Glasgow Coma Score (GCS) upon admission was 3 in 68.8% of the cases in early BD versus in 38.2% of the cases in BD occurring after 24 h (p = 0.0001). Eighty-five patients presented supratentorial hematomas with a volume of 90.9 ml in early BD versus 82.7 ml in BD >24 h (p = 0.54). The mean midline shift was 10.7 mm in early BD versus 7.8 mm in BD >24 h (p = 0.045). Ninety-one patients presented ventriculomegaly and 38 additionally ependymal transudation (p = 0.021). Thirty-six patients with early BD versus 24 with BD >24 h presented complete effacement of basal cisterns (p = 0.005), sulcular effacement (p = 0.013), loss of cortico-subcortical differentiation (p = 0.0001) and effacement of the suprasellar cistern (p = 0.005). The optic nerve sheath measurements showed no significant differences between groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Early BD (>24 h) was associated to GCS < 5, midline shift, effacement of the basal cisterns, cerebral sulci and suprasellar cistern, and ependymal transudation.

Prediction of mortality after evacuation of supratentorial intracerebral hemorrhage using NSQIP data

Spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (sICH) is associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality. Neurosurgical clot evacuation is controversial but often a life saving maneuver in the setting of severe mass effect and cerebral herniation. Outcomes from large multicenter databases are sparsely reported. Patients who underwent craniotomy for evacuation of a supratentorial sICH between 2006 and 2017 were systematically extracted from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Participant Use Files. Our primary outcomes of interest were 30-day mortality, non-routine discharge disposition, and extended length of stay ([eLOS], defined as the top quartile for the cohort). Individual binary logistic regression models were constructed to query the associations between pre- and perioperative variables and each outcome. A total of 751 patients met the inclusion criteria. The 30-day mortality rate was 23.3% and increased from 2011 to 2017 (pooled OR 2.060 [95% CI 1.437 - 2.953]). Older age, morbid obesity, preoperative mechanical ventilation, preoperative systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) or septic shock, and thrombocytopenia were associated with mortality. Older age, race, and preoperative mechanical ventilation were associated with non-routine discharge. Patients who were mechanically ventilated or were insulin-dependent diabetics had greater odds of experiencing eLOS. A formula for estimating 30-day mortality was developed and found to have a strong linear association with actual mortality rates (R² = 0.777, p = 0.002). Preoperative mechanical ventilation is a consistent predictor of poor outcomes following surgery for supratentorial sICH. Mortality is also influenced by older age, body habitus, SIRS, septic shock, and thrombocytopenia.

In-Hospital and Long-Term Prognosis after Spontaneous Intracerebral Hemorrhage among Young Adults Aged 18-65 Years

BACKGROUND

Spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) accounts for 10%-15% of all strokes and has an estimated annual incidence of 5/100,000 in young adults. Limited data on prognosis after ICH in young adults are available. We aimed to identify prognostic predictors after ICH among adults aged 18-65 years.

METHODS

We retrospectively selected all patients with ICH from a prospective single-center registry of adults with first stroke before 65 years between 1997 and 2002. We recorded in-hospital mortality as well as mortality and recurrent stroke after discharge until December 1, 2018. For in-hospital analysis, we compared patients that died in-hospital versus patients discharged alive. For long-term analysis, we compared patients that died in follow-up versus patients still alive. Independent prognostic predictors were identified using multivariate analyses.

RESULTS

Among 161 patients included, 24 (14.9%) died in-hospital. Among in-hospital survivors, 5-year survival was 92.0%, 10-year survival 78.1%, and 15-year survival 62.0%. After median follow-up of 17 years, 47.4% of patients died, 18 patients had ischemic stroke, and 6 recurrent ICH. Regarding in-hospital prognosis, coma at admission (OR .02 [.00-.11]) was independent predictor for mortality whereas alcoholic habits (OR 12.32 [1.82-83.30]) was independent predictor for survival. An increasing age (OR 1.08 [1.03-1.12]), higher blood glucose levels (OR 1.01 [1.00-1.01]), and hypertension (OR 2.21 [1.22-4.00]) were independent predictors of long-term mortality after ICH.

CONCLUSIONS

Alcoholic habits may influence in-hospital survival after ICH in young adults. Long-term mortality in young adults seems to be lower than in elderly and was predicted by higher blood glucose levels and hypertension.

Influence of Intracerebral Hemorrhage Location on Outcomes in Patients With Severe Intraventricular Hemorrhage

Background and Purpose- We investigated the prognostic significance of spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage location in presence of severe intraventricular hemorrhage. Methods- We analyzed diagnostic computed tomography scans from 467/500 (excluding primary intraventricular hemorrhage) subjects from the CLEAR (Clot Lysis: Evaluating Accelerated Resolution of Intraventricular Hemorrhage) III trial. We measured intracerebral hemorrhage engagement with specific anatomic regions, and estimated association of each region with blinded assessment of dichotomized poor stroke outcomes: mortality, modified Rankin Scale score of 4 to 6, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score of >4, stroke impact scale score of <60, Barthel Index <86, and EuroQol visual analogue scale score of <50 and <70 at days 30 and 180, respectively, using logistic regression models. Results- Frequency of anatomic region involvement consisted of thalamus (332 lesions, 71.1% of subjects), caudate (219, 46.9%), posterior limb internal capsule (188, 40.3%), globus pallidus/putamen (127, 27.2%), anterior limb internal capsule (108, 23.1%), and lobar (29, 6.2%). Thalamic location was independently associated with mortality (days 30 and 180) and with poor outcomes on most stroke scales at day 180 on adjusted analysis. Posterior limb internal capsule and globus pallidus/putamen involvement was associated with increased odds of worse disability at days 30 and 180. Anterior limb internal capsule and caudate locations were associated with decreased mortality on days 30 and 180. Anterior limb internal capsule lesions were associated with decreased long-term morbidity. Conclusions- Acute intracerebral hemorrhage lesion topography provides important insights into anatomic correlates of mortality and functional outcomes even in severe intraventricular hemorrhage causing obstructive hydrocephalus. Models accounting for intracerebral hemorrhage location in addition to volumes may improve outcome prediction and permit stratification of benefit from aggressive acute interventions. Clinical Trial Registration- URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov . Unique identifier: NCT00784134.

Combining Investigation of Imaging Markers (Island Sign and Blend Sign) and Clinical Factors in Predicting Hematoma Expansion of Intracerebral Hemorrhage in the Basal Ganglia

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is the most difficult-to-treat form of stroke and accounts for about 10%-30% of all strokes worldwide. Hematoma expansion (HE), which occurs in one third of patients with ICH, is strongly predictive of worse prognosis and potentially preventable if high-risk patients are identified in the early phase of ICH. We summarized data from recent studies on HE prediction and classified those potential indicators into 2 categories: 1) clinical and laboratory and 2) radiographic. Therefore, we aimed to identify the accuracy of L, that is, the value of combining predictors in predicting HE of ICH in basal ganglia.

METHODS

We retrospectively investigated the clinical database of Qinghai Provincial People's Hospital for patients with ICH aged >18 years between January 2015 and January 2018. As inclusion criteria, we defined 1) ICH diagnosed on noncontrast computed tomography (CT); 2) noncontrast CT performed on enrollment within 6 hours after onset of symptoms; 3) follow-up CT scan performed within 24 hours after the baseline CT scan; and 4) all of the primary hematoma was located in the basal ganglia. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to analyze the potential HE predictors, and then receiver operating characteristic curves were used to evaluate the L (the value of combining predictors) of imaging markers and clinical factors in predicting HE.

RESULTS

Of the 99 patients with HE, island sign was present in 48.48% (48/99) of patients and blend sign was present in 34.34% (34/99) of patients. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified time to baseline CT scan (odds ratio [OR] 1.574; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.205-2.054; P = 0.001), baseline hematoma volume (P = 0.001), presence of island sign (OR 11.247; 95% CI 4.701-26.909; P = 0.000), presence of blend sign (OR 3.104; 95% CI 1.425-6.765; P = 0.004), anticoagulants use or international normalized ratio >1.5 (OR 2.755; 95% CI 1.072-7.082; P = 0.035), and intraventricular hemorrhage (OR 2.351; 95% CI 1.066-5.187; P = 0.034) as independent predictors of HE. The sensitivity and specificity of L (value of combining predictors) were 88.89% and 80.84%, respectively; the area under the curve was 0.918.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings indicated that the ability of L to predict HE was much more excellent than these 6 predictors alone. L showed a high association with HE, with an accuracy of 91.8%, and was a reliable value of combining predictors in terms of predicting HE. L may serve as a promising, noninvasive tool for clinical therapeutic strategy.

Functional Improvement Among Intracerebral Hemorrhage (ICH) Survivors up to 12 Months Post-injury

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

As survival rates have increased for intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) patients, there is limited information regarding recovery beyond 3-6 months. This study was conducted to examine recovery curves using the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) and Barthel Index (BI) up to 12 months post-injury.

METHODS

We prospectively enrolled 173 patients admitted with ICH who were subsequently evaluated using the mRS and BI at discharge as well as 3, 6, and 12 months. Repeated measures nonparametric testing was conducted to assess functional trajectories across time.

RESULTS

The mRS scores showed significant improvement between discharge (median 4) and 3 (median 4), 6 (median 4), and 12 months (median 3) (p values <0.001). However, the mRS scores did not differ between follow-up time-points (i.e., 3-6, 6-12 months). There was significant improvement in scores using the BI (p values <0.001), showing improvement between discharge (mean 43.0) and 3 (mean 73.0), 6 (mean 78.2), and 12 months (mean 83.4). Additionally, there were differences in the BI between 3 and 12 months (p = 0.013), as well as between 6 and 12 months (p = 0.025).

CONCLUSIONS

The BI may be a more sensitive measure of long-term recovery post-injury than the mRS, which shows minimal improvement for some survivors after 3 months. BI scores indicate survivors continually improve till 12 months post-injury. These results may have implications for the prognostication of ICH and design of clinical trial outcome measures.

Related Factors of Early Mortality in Young Adults with Cerebral Hemorrhage

Background

The main causes of intracerebral hemorrhage differ between young adults and older adults. Data regarding potential targets for early intervention in young adult patients with intracerebral hemorrhage are lacking.

Methods

We retrospectively analysed data for 196 young adult patients with intracerebral hemorrhage who were admitted to Tianjin Huanhu Hospital and died within 30 days of admission between June 2005 and June 2015. The Kaplan–Meier method was used to calculate survival rate, and the log-rank test was used to determine survival rate significance. A Cox proportional hazards regression model was used for univariate and multivariate analyses.

Results

Univariate analysis revealed a statistically significant association of age, disturbance of consciousness, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale and Glasgow Coma Scale scores, seizure occurrence, infratentorial hemorrhage, intraventricular extension, hernia, glucose level, white blood cell count, albumin level, creatinine level, uric acid level, and surgical treatment with early mortality (P<0.05). However, multivariate regression analysis revealed that only infratentorial hemorrhage (P=0.003) and intraventricular extension (P=0.003) were significant risk factors for early mortality.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that young adult patients who exhibit infratentorial hemorrhage and intraventricular extension in the early stages of intracerebral hemorrhage onset exhibit an increased risk of early mortality.

Intracerebral Hemorrhage Location and Functional Outcomes of Patients: A Systematic Literature Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) has the highest mortality rate among all strokes. While ICH location, lobar versus non-lobar, has been established as a predictor of mortality, less is known regarding the relationship between more specific ICH locations and functional outcome. This review summarizes current work studying how ICH location affects outcome, with an emphasis on how studies designate regions of interest.

METHODS

A systematic search of the OVID database for relevant studies was conducted during August 2015. Studies containing an analysis of functional outcome by ICH location or laterality were included. As permitted, the effect size of individual studies was standardized within a meta-analysis.

RESULTS

Thirty-seven studies met the inclusion criteria, the majority of which followed outcome at 3 months. Most studies found better outcomes on the Modified Rankin Scale (mRS) or Glasgow Outcome Score (GOS) with lobar compared to deep ICHs. While most aggregated deep structures for analysis, some studies found poorer outcomes for thalamic ICH in particular. Over half of the studies did not have specific methodological considerations for location designations, including blinding or validation.

CONCLUSIONS

Multiple studies have examined motor-centric outcomes, with few studies examining quality of life (QoL) or cognition. Better functional outcomes have been suggested for lobar versus non-lobar ICH; few studies attempted finer topographic comparisons. This study highlights the need for improved reporting in ICH outcomes research, including a detailed description of hemorrhage location, reporting of the full range of functional outcome scales, and inclusion of cognitive and QoL outcomes.

Predictors of hematoma expansion predictors after intracerebral hemorrhage

Despite years of effort, intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) remains the most devastating form of stroke with more than 40% 30-day mortality worldwide. Hematoma expansion (HE), which occurs in one third of ICH patients, is strongly predictive of worse prognosis and potentially preventable if high-risk patients were identified in the early phase of ICH. In this review, we summarize data from recent studies on HE prediction and classify those potential indicators into four categories: clinical (severity of consciousness disturbance; blood pressure; blood glucose at and after admission); laboratory (hematologic parameters of coagulation, inflammation and microvascular integrity status), radiographic (interval time from ICH onset; baseline volume, shape and density of hematoma; intraventricular hemorrhage; especially the spot sign and modified spot sign) and integrated predictors (9-point or 24-point clinical prediction algorithm and PREDICT A/B). We discuss those predictors’ underlying pathophysiology in HE and present opportunities to develop future therapeutic strategies.

Association Factors for CT Angiography Spot Sign and Hematoma Growth in Korean Patients with Acute Spontaneous Intracerebral Hemorrhage : A Single-Center Cohort Study

Objective

This study was conducted to clarify the association factors and clinical significance of the CT angiography (CTA) spot sign and hematoma growth in Korean patients with acute intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH).

Methods

We retrospectively collected the data of 287 consecutive patients presenting with acute ICH who arrived within 12 hours of ictus. Baseline clinical and radiological characteristics as well as the mortality rate within one month were assessed. A binary logistic regression was conducted to obtain association factors for the CTA spot sign and hematoma growth.

Results

We identified a CTA spot sign in 40 patients (13.9%) and hematoma growth in 78 patients (27.2%). An elapsed time to CT scan of less than 3 hours (OR, 5.14; 95% CI, 1.76-15.02; p=0.003) was associated with the spot sign. A CTA spot sign (OR, 5.70; 95% CI, 2.70-12.01; p<0.001), elevated alanine transaminase (GPT) level >40 IU (OR, 2.01; 95% CI, 1.01-4.01; p=0.047), and an international normalized ratio ≥1.8 or warfarin medication (OR, 5.64; 95% CI, 1.29-24.57; p=0.021) were independent predictors for hematoma growth. Antiplatelet agent medication (OR, 4.92; 95% CI, 1.31-18.50; p=0.019) was significantly associated with hematoma growth within 6 hours of ictus.

Conclusion

As previous other populations, CTA spot sign was a strong predictor for hematoma growth especially in hyper-acute stage of ICH in Korea. Antithrombotics medication might also be associated with hyper-acute hematoma growth. In our population, elevated GPT was newly identified as a predictor for hematoma growth and its effect for hematoma growth is necessary to be confirmed through a further research.

Prestroke alcohol consumption and smoking are not associated with stroke severity, disability at discharge, and case fatality

BACKGROUND

Heavy alcohol consumption and smoking are known risk factors for stroke, but their influence on stroke severity and outcome may also be important. We tested if alcohol consumption and smoking relate to initial stroke severity, disability at discharge from hospital, and outcome at 30 days and at 1 year in 1049 patients of the Mures-Uzhgorod-Debrecen database.

METHODS

Initial stroke severity was scored by the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale. Case fatality and the modified outcome scale of the First International Stroke Trial were used to assess outcome. We used multiple regression analysis.

RESULTS

Before their stroke, 24.5% were smokers and 24.7% admitted regular alcohol consumption. Neither smoking nor alcohol consumption status was associated with initial stroke severity. Case fatalities at discharge, at 30 days, and at 1 year were 12.2%, 16.9%, and 28.3%, respectively. Initial stroke severity, hemorrhagic subtype, and age in men over 60 years were strong predictors of outcome. We did not find significant difference among alcohol consumers and nonconsumers in 30-day and in 1-year case fatality in all stroke patients and in ischemic stroke patients. In hemorrhagic stroke, there was a nonsignificant tendency for higher case fatality among alcohol consumers (39.5% versus 26.4%, P > .2, at 30 days and 48.8% versus 35.8%, P > .2, at 1 year). Smoking did not influence significantly the outcome at 30 days and at 1 year.

CONCLUSION

Despite being risk factors, prestroke smoking and alcohol consumption do not have a significant influence on stroke severity and on short- and long-term outcome.

Comparison between the formula 1/2ABC and 2/3Sh in intracerebral parenchyma hemorrhage

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The 1/2ABC formula is the method most commonly used in clinical practice to rapidly estimate intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) volume. We aimed to compare this method with the alternative '2/3Sh' formula for both regularly and irregularly-shaped hematomas.

METHODS

Computed tomography (CT) images from 344 ICH patients (median volume: 16·66 ml) were retrospectively reviewed. According to the maximum slice, the shape was classified into regular or irregular (multilobular, conical, and other). Volumes as determined by the 1/2ABC and 2/3Sh formulas were compared against the gold standard, computer-assisted planimetry, for various hematoma shapes.

RESULTS

With the 1/2ABC method, errors were seen non-significantly more frequently for irregularly-shaped hematomas [OR: 2.85 (95% CI: 0.65-12.50)]. The 1/2ABC method misclassified a greater proportion of hematomas as greater or less than 30 ml in volume: 7.0% (95% CI: 6.0-9.9%). Both the 1/2ABC and 2/3Sh formulas correlated well with gold standard (correlation coefficients >0.9 for each shape). While there was no statistically significant measurement error bias for either method, the 95% confidence intervals of the limit of agreement for 2/3Sh were tighter: -0.22 ml (-4.7-4.25 ml) versus 2·50 ml (-10.35-15.34 ml). Measurement errors were significantly greater with the 1/2ABC method, for both regular and irregular hematomas [1.17 ml (0.48-2.83 ml) versus 0.88 ml (0.42-1.68 ml) and 2.65 ml (1.07-5.88 ml) versus 0·99 ml (0.47-2.28 ml); P<0.05, respectively], although the magnitude of error would only rarely be clinically relevant for regular hematomas. Errors were most evident in assessing multilobular-shaped hematomas [6.49 ml (3.35-13.98 ml) versus 1.86 ml (0.96-9.94 ml); P<0·001].

CONCLUSIONS

The 2/3Sh formula leads to fewer clinically-relevant hematoma volume misclassifications than the 1/2ABC formula, and is particularly superior in estimating volumes of irregularly-shaped hematomas.

Stroke statistics in Korea: part I. Epidemiology and risk factors: a report from the korean stroke society and clinical research center for stroke

The aim of the Part I of Stroke Statistics in Korea is to summarize nationally representative data of the epidemiology and risk factors of stroke in a single document. Every year, approximately 105,000 people experience a new or recurrent stroke and more than 26,000 die of stroke, which indicates that every 5 minutes stroke attacks someone and every 20 minutes stroke kills someone in Korea. Stroke accounts for roughly 1 of every 10 deaths. The estimated stroke prevalence is about 795,000 in people aged ≥30 years. The nationwide total cost for stroke care was 3,737 billion Korean won (US$3.3 billion) in 2005. Fortunately, the annual stroke mortality rate decreased substantially by 28.3% during the first decade of the 21th century (53.2/100,000 in 2010). Among OECD countries, Korea had the lowest in-hospital 30-day case-fatality rate for ischemic stroke and ranked third lowest for hemorrhagic stroke in 2009. The proportion of ischemic stroke has steadily increased and accounted for 76% of all strokes in 2009. According to hospital registry studies, the 90-day mortality rate was 3-7% for ischemic stroke and 17% for intracerebral hemorrhage. For risk factors, among Korean adults ≥30 years of age, one in 3-4 has hypertension, one in 10 diabetes, and one in 7 hypercholesterolemia. One in 3 Korean adults ≥19 years of age is obese. Over the last 10 years, the prevalence of hypertension slightly decreased, but the prevalence of diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, and obesity increased. Smoking prevalence in men has decreased, but is still as high as 48%. This report could be a valuable resource for establishing health care policy and guiding future research directions.

Comparisons of 30-day mortalities and 90-day functional recoveries after first and recurrent primary intracerebral hemorrhage attacks: a multiple-institute retrospective study

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to determine and compare 30-day mortalities and 90-day functional recoveries after first and recurrent primary intracerebral hemorrhage (PICH) attacks. The investigators sought to identify factors predisposing 30-day mortality and functional recovery and to compare patients after first and recurrent PICH attacks.

METHODS

The medical records of 1856 PICH patients treated in Samsung Changwon Hospital and Dong-A University Medical Center from January 2000 to December 2010 were retrospectively evaluated.

RESULTS

Of these 1856 patients, 1499 were included. Mean patient age was 66.4 ± 16.3 years, and there were 742 male patients (49.5%). Recurrent PICH occurred in 142 (9.5%) patients. Thirty-day mortality was 13.6% for first PICH patients and 14.1% for recurrent PICH patients (P = 0.824). Good functional recovery at 90 days after ictus was achieved by 52.2% of first PICH patients and by 31.0% of recurrent patients (P = 0.003). In both groups, multivariate analysis showed that unconsciousness, pupillary abnormality, surgery, and underlying disease were associated with high mortality, and that consciousness, a lobal location, a small hemorrhagic volume, and conservative treatment were associated with good functional recovery. After excluding recurrent patients with a previous moderate to severe disability due to the sequelae of PICH, no difference was found between the first (25.1%) and recurrent groups (19.0%) in terms of functional recovery (P = 0.083).

CONCLUSIONS

The factors found to predispose clinical outcome were similar in the two groups. This study shows that given optimal treatment, recurrent PICH patients can achieve the same clinical outcomes as first PICH patients.

Factors associated with severity on admission and in-hospital mortality after primary intracerebral hemorrhage in China

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Of the stroke types, intracerebral hemorrhage is the most debilitating and fatal. The aim of the current study was to determine factors that influence the severity and in-hospital mortality after primary intracerebral hemorrhage.

METHODS

Data were collected retrospectively on 1268 patients with primary intracerebral hemorrhage admitted to stroke units at participating hospitals in Guangzhou between January 2005 and August 2008. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine factors associated with severity on admission and in-hospital mortality.

RESULTS

Of the 1268 patients, 20·4% were reported to have a severe stroke on admission, and the in-hospital mortality rate was 12·5%. Severity on admission was strongly associated with Glasgow Coma Scale score on admission (odds ratio = 0·89, 95% confidence interval 0·85-0·94) and hematoma location. Notably, basal ganglia hemorrhages were associated with increased severity (odds ratio = 1·40, 95% confidence interval 1·03-1·90), and cerebellar hemorrhages were associated with reduced severity (odds ratio = 0·29, 95% confidence interval 0·10-0·84). In-hospital mortality was not only correlated with Glasgow Coma Scale score on admission (odds ratio = 0·79, 95% confidence interval 0·74-0·84) and basal ganglia location (odds ratio = 0·47, 95% confidence interval 0·26-0·83), but also with dysnatremia (odds ratio = 1·91, 95% confidence interval 1·08-3·40) and comorbidities such as upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage (odds ratio = 2·28, 95% confidence interval 1·33-3·91), pneumonia (odds ratio = 3·50, 95% confidence interval 2·17-5·63), urinary incontinence (odds ratio = 2·22, 95% confidence interval 1·40-3·51), and renal dysfunction (odds ratio = 2·28, 95% confidence interval 1·42-3·65).

CONCLUSION

Glasgow Coma Scale score and hematoma locations were independently associated with severity on admission and in-hospital mortality after primary intracerebral hemorrhage. The study also highlights the deleterious effect of comorbidities on in-hospital mortality following primary intracerebral hemorrhage in China.

Comparison of Recovery Patterns and Prognostic Indicators for Ischemic and Hemorrhagic Stroke in China

Background and Purpose— Limited data exist on the comparative recovery patterns and outcomes of patients with ischemic stroke and intracerebral hemorrhage in China.

Methods— Data on baseline characteristics and outcomes of 6354 patients at 3 and 12 months poststroke are from ChinaQUEST (QUality Evaluation of Stroke Care and Treatment), a multicenter, prospective, 62-hospital registry study in China. Logistic regression was used to determine factors associated with a poor outcome defined by death/dependency (modified Rankin Scale score of 3 to 5) on follow-up. Generalized estimating equations were used to assess variations in recovery pattern by stroke type.

Results— Baseline severity and rate of functional recovery in the early phase were significantly greater for intracerebral hemorrhage. However, patients with ischemic stroke were on average twice as likely to experience a good outcome (modified Rankin Scale score <3) by 12 months poststroke (OR: 1.98, CI: 1.76 to 2.24). In patients with ischemic stroke, diabetes and atrial fibrillation were strongly associated with a poor outcome at 12 months poststroke even after adjustment for confounding factors such as age, prior stroke/dependency, time to presentation, and stroke severity, whereas use of antiplatelets and lipid-lowering therapy after stroke were associated with improved outcome. For patients with intracerebral hemorrhage, low education and atrial fibrillation were associated with a poor outcome after adjustment for potential confounders and antihypertensive use was strongly associated with improved outcome.

Conclusions— Patients with intracerebral hemorrhage and ischemic stroke have different recovery patterns in China. However, they share similar prognostic factors and in the use of evidence-based secondary prevention therapies to maximize chances of a good outcome.