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

• Published in: Acta neurochirurgica Vol. 165; no. 12; pp. 3651 - 3664
• Main Authors: Henry, Jack, Dablouk, Mohammed O., Kapoor, Dhruv, Koustais, Stavros, Corr, Paula, Nolan, Deirdre, Coffey, Deirdre, Thornton, John, O’Hare, Alan, Power, Sarah, Rawluk, Daniel, Javadpour, Mohsen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Vienna Springer Vienna 01.12.2023; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Age; Aneurysm; Aneurysms; Cerebrospinal fluid; Female; Glasgow Outcome Scale; Hemorrhage; Humans; Interventional Radiology; Male; Medical prognosis; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Minimally Invasive Surgery; Neurology; Neuroradiology; Neurosurgery; Original Article; Patients; Prospective Studies; Regression analysis; Retrospective Studies; Subarachnoid hemorrhage; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage - diagnosis; Surgical Orthopedics; Treatment Outcome; Vascular Neurosurgery – Aneurysm; Vasoconstriction; Subarachnoid haemorrhage; Intracranial aneurysm; ASAH
• ISSN: 0942-0940; 0001-6268; 0942-0940
• DOI: 10.1007/s00701-023-05884-0

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.