• Raimund Helbok, Pedro Kurtz, Matthew Vibbert, Michael J Schmidt, Luis Fernandez, Hector Lantigua, Noeleen D Ostapkovich, Sander E Connolly, Kiwon Lee, Jan Claassen, Stephan A Mayer, and Neeraj Badjatia.
• Department of Neurology, Division of Neurocritical Care, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA.
• J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr.. 2013 Mar 1;84(3):266-70.

BackgroundEarly neurological deterioration occurs frequently after subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH). The impact on hospital course and outcome remains poorly defined.MethodsWe identified risk factors for worsening on the Hunt-Hess grading scale within the first 24 h after admission in 609 consecutively admitted aneurysmal SAH patients. Admission risk factors and the impact of early worsening on outcome was evaluated using multivariable analysis adjusting for age, gender, admission clinical grade, admission year and procedure type. Outcome was evaluated at 12 months using the modified Rankin Scale (mRS).Results211 patients worsened within the first 24 h of admission (35%). In a multivariate adjusted model, early worsening was associated with older age (OR 1.02, 95% CI 1.001 to 1.03; p=0.04), the presence of intracerebral haematoma on initial CT scan (OR 2.0, 95% CI 1.2 to 3.5; p=0.01) and higher SAH and intraventricular haemorrhage sum scores (OR 1.05, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.08 and 1.1, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.2; p<0.001 and 0.03, respectively). Early worsening was associated with more hospital complications and prolonged length of hospital stay and was an independent predictor of death (OR 12.1, 95% CI 5.7 to 26.1; p<0.001) and death or moderate to severe disability (mRS 4-6, OR 8.4, 95% CI 4.9 to 14.5; p=0.01) at 1 year.ConclusionsEarly worsening after SAH occurs in 35% of patients, is predicted by clot burden and is associated with mortality and poor functional outcome at 1 year.

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