Incidence and Outcomes of Registry-Based Acute Myocardial Infarction After Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage.

BACKGROUND: Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is the rarest and least studied cardiac complication of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). Precise estimates of the incidence of AMI after aSAH are unavailable. Our goal was to estimate the incidence of registry-based AMI (rb-AMI) after aSAH and determine its association with clinical outcomes. METHODS: Adult patients with aSAH in the National Inpatient Samples from 2002 to 2014 were included in the study. We evaluated risk factors for rb-AMI using univariate and multivariate regression models. Clinical outcomes that were assessed included functional status at discharge, in-patient mortality, length of stay, and total hospitalization cost, adjusting for patient demographics and cardiovascular risk factors through an inverse probability weighted analysis. Subgroup analyses were further performed stratified by rb-AMI type (ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction [STEMI] vs. non-STEMI [NSTEMI]). RESULTS: A total of 139,734 patients with aSAH were identified, 3.6% of whom had rb-AMI. NSTEMI was the most common type of rb-AMI occurring after aSAH (71% vs. 29% for NSTEMI vs. STEMI, respectively). Patient characteristics associated with higher odds of rb-AMI included age, female sex, poor aSAH grade, and various cardiovascular risk factors. Rb-AMI was also associated with poor functional status at discharge, higher in-hospital mortality, and a longer and more costly hospital stay. CONCLUSIONS: Rb-AMI occurs in 3.6% of patients with aSAH and is associated with poor functional status at discharge, higher in-patient mortality, and a longer and more costly hospitalization. Differentiating between different types of rb-AMI would be important in optimizing the management of patients with aSAH. Our definition of rb-AMI likely includes patients with neurogenic stress cardiomyopathy, which may confound the results.

The Timing of Tracheostomy and Outcomes After Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: A Nationwide Inpatient Sample Analysis.

BACKGROUND: The goal of this study was to investigate the association of tracheostomy timing with outcomes after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) in a national population. METHODS: Poor-grade aneurysmal SAH patients were extracted from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (2002-2011). Multivariable linear regression was used to analyze predictors of tracheostomy timing and multivariable logistic regression was used to evaluate the association of timing of intervention with mortality, complications, and discharge to institutional care. Covariates included patient demographics, comorbidities, severity of subarachnoid hemorrhage (measured using the NIS-SAH severity scale), hospital characteristics, and other complications and length of stay. RESULTS: The median time to tracheostomy among 1380 poor-grade SAH admissions was 11 (interquartile range: 7-15) days after intubation. The mean number of days from intubation to tracheostomy in SAH patients at the hospital (p < 0.001) was the strongest predictor of tracheostomy timing for a patient, while comorbidities and SAH severity were not significant predictors. Mortality, neurologic complications, and discharge disposition did not differ significantly by tracheostomy time. However, later tracheostomy (when evaluated continuously) was associated with greater odds of pulmonary complications (p = 0.004), venous thromboembolism (p = 0.04), and pneumonia (p = 0.02), as well as a longer hospitalization (p < 0.001). Subgroup analysis only found these associations between tracheostomy timing and medical complications in patients with moderately poor grade (NIS-SAH severity scale 7-9), while there were no significant differences by timing of intervention in very poor-grade patients (NIS-SAH severity scale > 9). CONCLUSIONS: In this analysis of a large, national data set, variation in hospital practices was the strongest predictor of tracheostomy timing for an individual. In patients with moderately poor grade, later tracheostomy was independently associated with pulmonary complications, venous thromboembolism, pneumonia, and a longer hospitalization, but not with mortality, neurological complications, or discharge disposition. However, tracheostomy timing was not significantly associated with outcomes in very poor-grade patients.

Readmission After Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: A Nationwide Readmission Database Analysis.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The goal of this nationwide study is to evaluate the suitability of readmission as a quality indicator in the aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) population. METHODS: Patients with aneurysmal SAH were extracted from the Nationwide Readmission Database (2013). Multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression was used to evaluate predictors of a 30-day readmission, and multivariable linear regression was used to analyze the association of hospital readmission rates with hospital mortality rates. Predictors screened included patient demographics, comorbidities, severity of SAH, complications from the SAH hospitalization, and hospital characteristics. RESULTS: The 30-day readmission rate was 10.2% (n=346) among the 3387 patients evaluated, and the most common reasons for readmission were neurological, hydrocephalus, infectious, and venous thromboembolic complications. Greater number of comorbidities, increased severity of SAH, and discharge disposition other than to home were independent predictors of readmission (P≤0.03). Although hydrocephalus during the SAH hospitalization was associated with readmission for the same diagnosis, other readmissions were not associated with having sustained the same complication during the SAH hospitalization. Hospital mortality rate was inversely associated with hospital SAH volume (P=0.03) but not significantly associated with hospital readmission rate; hospital SAH volume was also not associated with SAH readmissions. CONCLUSIONS: In this national analysis, readmission was primarily attributable to new medical complications in patients with greater comorbidities and severity of SAH rather than exacerbation of complications from the SAH hospitalization. Additionally, hospital readmission rates did not correlate with other established quality metrics. Therefore, readmission may be a suboptimal quality indicator in the SAH population.

Endovascular treatment of symptomatic moyamoya.

Moyamoya is a rare though important source of neurological morbidity as a result of both ischemic and hemorrhagic sequelae. Although a litany of series detailing the endovascular management of cerebral ischemia is present in the literature, only a paucity of such reports exists for moyamoya. A systematic review of the literature was performed for patients with moyamoya managed with endovascular techniques in addition to the contribution of an additional case managed at our institution. We evaluated treatment approach (angioplasty and/or stent), complications, and both angiographic and clinical outcomes at last follow-up. Results from a total of 28 endovascular procedures were collected (11 stenting, 17 angioplasty alone). Procedural success, defined as a lack of both angiographic and clinical recurrence at follow-up, was achieved after seven procedures (25 %). This rate did not significantly differ between disease type (moyamoya disease vs moyamoya syndrome, p = 1.0) and treatment approach (angioplasty alone vs stenting, p = 1.0). The overall monthly angiographic and clinical recurrence rates were 9.3 and 8.0 %, respectively. Clinically devastating intracerebral hemorrhage was seen after two procedures (7 %), and in an additional three procedures, the treated vessel could not be effectively dilated (11 %). There is no evidence that angioplasty or stenting improves the natural history of moyamoya. Both are associated with significant rates of early angiographic and/or clinical recurrence of symptoms. Taken with the risk of procedural complications, the current limited data should advise against attempted endovascular treatment of moyamoya.

Randomized Clinical Trials in Cerebrovascular Neurosurgery From 2018 to 2022.

There has been an exponential increase in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on cerebrovascular disease within neurosurgery. The goal of this study was to review, outline the scope, and summarize all phase 2b and phase 3 RCTs impacting cerebrovascular neurosurgery practice since 2018. We searched PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase, ClinicalTrials.gov, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) databases for relevant RCTs published between January 1, 2018, and July 1, 2022. We searched for studies related to eight major cerebrovascular disorders relevant to neurosurgery, including acute ischemic stroke, cerebral aneurysms and subarachnoid hemorrhage, intracerebral hemorrhage, subdural hematomas, cerebral venous thrombosis, arteriovenous malformations, Moyamoya disease and extracranial-intracranial bypass, and carotid and intracranial atherosclerosis. We limited our search to phase 2b or 3 RCTs related to cerebrovascular disorders published during the study period. The titles and abstracts of all relevant studies meeting our search criteria were included. Pediatric studies, stroke studies related to rehabilitation or cardiovascular disease, study protocols without published results, prospective cohort studies, registry studies, cluster randomized trials, and nonrandomized pivotal trials were excluded.  From an initial total of 2,797 records retrieved from the database searches, 1,641 records were screened after duplicates and studies outside of our time period were removed. After screening, 511 available reports within our time period of interest were assessed for eligibility. Pediatric studies, stroke studies related to rehabilitation or cardiovascular disease, study protocols without published results, prospective cohort studies, registry studies, cluster randomized trials, and nonrandomized pivotal trials were excluded. We found 80 unique phase 2b or 3 RCTs that fit our criteria, with 165 topic-relevant articles published within the study period.  Numerous RCTs in cerebrovascular neurosurgery have been published since 2018. Ischemic stroke, including mechanical thrombectomy and thrombolysis, accounted for a majority of publications, but there were large trials in intracerebral hemorrhage, subdural hemorrhage, aneurysms, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and cerebral venous thrombosis, among others. This review helps define the scope of the large RCTs published in the last four years to guide future research and clinical care.

From Operating Room to Courtroom: Analyzing Malpractice Trajectories in Cranial Neurosurgery.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Nearly all neurosurgeons in the United States will be named defendants in a malpractice claim before retirement. We perform an assessment of national malpractice trends in cranial neurosurgery to inform neurosurgeons on current outcomes, trends over time, benchmarks for malpractice coverage needs, and ways to mitigate lawsuits. METHODS: The Westlaw Edge and LexisNexis databases were searched to identify medical malpractice cases relating to open cranial surgery between 1987 and 2023. Extracted data included date of verdict, jurisdiction, outcome, details of sustained injuries, and any associated award/settlement figures. RESULTS: Of 1550 cases analyzed, 252 were identified as malpractice claims arising from open cranial surgery. The median settlement amount was $950 000 and the average plaintiff ruling was $2 750 000. The highest plaintiff ruling resulted in an award of $28.1 million. Linear regression revealed no significant relationship between year and defendant win (P-value = .43). After adjusting for inflation, award value increased with time (P-value = .01). The most common cranial subspecialties were tumor (67 cases, 26.6%), vascular (54 cases, 21.4%), infection (23 cases, 9.1%), and trauma (23 cases, 9.1%). Perioperative complications was the most common litigation category (96 cases, 38.1%), followed by delayed treatment (40 cases, 15.9%), failure to diagnose (38 cases, 15.1%), and incorrect choice of procedure (29 cases, 11.5%). The states with most claims were New York (40 cases, 15.9%), California (24 cases, 9.5%), Florida (21 cases, 8.3%), and Pennsylvania (20 cases, 7.9%). CONCLUSION: Although a stable number of cases were won by neurosurgeons, an increase in award sizes was observed in the 37-year period assessed. Perioperative complications and delayed treatment/diagnosis were key drivers of malpractice claims.

Stent usage in the treatment of intracranial aneurysms: past, present and future.

As endovascular approaches to intracranial aneurysm (IA) treatment continue to evolve, the use of intracranial stents has advanced from an infrequent adjunct to potential curative monotherapy. Early results of endovascular therapy for IAs have clearly underscored large aneurysm size, low coil packing density and wide aneurysm neck as factors limiting successful long term obliteration. Intracranial stents were originally introduced as adjuncts to mitigate these limitations by facilitating tighter coil packing and preventing coil herniation. As evidence of their utility as flow diversion devices and as catalysts for aneurysm neck remodeling surfaced, their potential as standalone therapy was realised and is currently under close scrutiny. Here we review the evolution of stents in the treatment of IAs, from balloon expandable stents, to self-expanding stents, to the exciting advances in monotherapeutic flow diverting stents, amalgamating occlusion rates and reviewing complication rates.

Contrast-induced nephropathy in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.

INTRODUCTION: Patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) frequently undergo multiple angiographic studies within a 48-h period. We sought to evaluate the impact of these repeated contrast loads on renal function. METHODS: We reviewed the records of a consecutive series of 104 patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage, most of whom underwent at least an initial CT angiogram and digital subtraction angiography. Six patients had baseline renal disease. Initial creatinine levels were compared to maximum levels over a subsequent 48-h period after their last angiographic study. We defined contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) as an increase in creatinine of at least 0.3 from baseline. RESULTS: The mean change in creatinine following treatment was 0.05 ± 0.23, with three patients developing CIN (2.9%). In 2 cases of CIN, the creatinine increase was inconsequential (0.39 and 0.44). All patients with CIN had an early return of their creatinine to baseline; none required dialysis or suffered permanent sequelae as a result of these creatinine increases. There was no statistically significant difference in the rate of CIN in patients treated with microsurgical clipping (n = 85) as compared to those who underwent coiling (n = 19). CONCLUSION: Our results underscore the relative safety of the usage of multiple angiographic studies performed in patients with aneurysmal SAH, particularly in patients without baseline renal disease.

A Transcriptomic Comparative Study of Cranial Vasculature.

In genetic studies of cerebrovascular diseases, the optimal vessels to use as controls remain unclear. Our goal is to compare the transcriptomic profiles among 3 different types of control vessels: superficial temporal artery (STA), middle cerebral arteries (MCA), and arteries from the circle of Willis obtained from autopsies (AU). We examined the transcriptomic profiles of STA, MCA, and AU using RNAseq. We also investigated the effects of using these control groups on the results of the comparisons between aneurysms and the control arteries. Our study showed that when comparing pathological cerebral arteries to control groups, all control groups presented similar responses in the activation of immunological processes, the regulation of intracellular signaling pathways, and extracellular matrix productions, despite their intrinsic biological differences. When compared to STA, AU exhibited upregulation of stress and apoptosis genes, whereas MCA showed upregulation of genes associated with tRNA/rRNA processing. Moreover, our results suggest that the matched case-control study design, which involves control STA samples collected from the same subjects of matched aneurysm samples in our study, can improve the identification of non-inherited disease-associated genes. Given the challenges associated with obtaining fresh intracranial arteries from healthy individuals, our study suggests that using MCA, AU, or paired STA samples as controls are feasible strategies for future large-scale studies investigating cerebral vasculopathies. However, the intrinsic differences of each type of control should be taken into consideration when interpreting the results. With the limitations of each control type, it may be most optimal to use multiple tissues as controls.

Rotational angiography for diagnosis and surgical planning in the management of spinal vascular lesions.

OBJECT: The management of spinal vascular malformations has undergone significant evolution with the advent of advanced endovascular and angiographic technology. Three-dimensional rotational spinal angiography is an advanced tool that allows the surgeon to gain a better appreciation of the anatomy of these spinal vascular lesions and their relation to surrounding structures. This article describes the use of rotational angiography and 3D reconstructions in the diagnosis and management of spinal vascular malformations. METHODS: The authors present representative cases involving surgical treatment planning for spinal vascular malformations with focus on the utility and technique of rotational spinal angiography. They report the use of rotational spinal angiography for a heterogeneous collection of vascular pathological conditions. RESULTS: Eight patients underwent rotational spinal angiography in addition to digital subtraction angiography (DSA) for the diagnosis and characterization of various spinal vascular lesions. Postprocessed images were used to characterize the lesion in relation to surrounding bone and to enhance the surgeon's ability to precisely localize and obliterate the abnormality. The reconstructions provided superior anatomical detail compared with traditional DSA. No associated complications from the rotational angiography were noted, and there was no statistically significant difference in the amount of radiation exposure to patients undergoing rotational angiography relative to traditional angiography. CONCLUSIONS: The use of rotational spinal angiography provides a rapid and powerful diagnostic tool, superior to conventional DSA in the diagnosis and preoperative planning of a variety of spinal vascular pathology. A more detailed understanding of the anatomy of such lesions provided by this technique may improve the safety of the surgical approach.

Vasospasm after spontaneous angiographically negative subarachnoid hemorrhage.

BACKGROUND: Vasospasm, delayed infarcts and clinical deterioration due to delayed cerebral ischemia (CD-DCI) following digital subtraction angiography (DSA)-negative, spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) are infrequently and inconsistently described in the literature. METHODS: To quantify and characterize rates of each, we reviewed our own series of 77 patients with DSA-negative, spontaneous SAH. Employing a PubMed search, we reviewed the literature and calculated directly adjusted overall rates of vasospasm, delayed infarcts and CD-DCI. RESULTS: In our own patient cohort, 26 % of patients suffered vasospasm, 4 % delayed infarcts and 4 % CD-DCI. Higher Hunt-Hess grade and diffuse SAH pattern were associated with higher rates of each. Incorporating results from 18 studies in the literature, the directly adjusted overall rate of vasospasm following DSA-negative SAH was 16.3 % (95 % CI 12.3-21.1). Adjusted overall rates of delayed infarcts and CD-DCI were 3.4 % (95 % CI 1.9-5.5) and 6.8 % (95 % CI 5.0-9.1), respectively. For the subgroup of patients with diffuse SAH, the rates of vasospasm and CD-DCI were 31.3 % (95 % CI 21.6-43.9) and 9.7 % (95 % CI 7.0-13.0), respectively, while in patients with perimesencephalic SAH, respective rates were 13.1 % (95 % CI 7.7-20.7) and 2.4 % (95 % CI 1.0-4.8). A mixed-effects meta-analysis revealed an odds ratio for CD-DCI in diffuse SAH compared to perimesencephalic SAH of 3.79 (p = 0.009). CONCLUSION: Although they are seen less frequently in patients with DSA-negative spontaneous SAH, vasospasm, delayed infarcts and CD-DCI do occur and may require endovascular therapy. Risk factors include a diffuse hemorrhage pattern and higher Hunt-Hess grade.

Angiogram-negative subarachnoid hemorrhage: relationship between bleeding pattern and clinical outcome.

BACKGROUND: Angiogram-negative subarachnoid hemorrhage (anSAH) accounts for 15% of spontaneous SAH. Recent studies suggest the outcome and diagnostic yield in anSAH differ based on initial bleeding pattern. We present a single-center experience in managing patients with SAH and negative initial digital-subtracted angiogram (DSA). METHODS: Records of all patients with anSAH were reviewed. Bleeding pattern was determined from computed tomography (CT) and was categorized as perimesencephalic (PMN), diffuse, cortical, or xanthochromia (blood not detectable by CT). Diagnostic yield, in-hospital complications, and outcome parameters were analyzed. RESULTS: Of 352 patients admitted with spontaneous SAH from 2003 to 2008, 68 (19.3%) had negative initial DSA. Mean age was 59.5 ± 14, and 33 were female. By CT, 27 (39.7%) patients exhibited PMN SAH, 33 (48.5%) diffuse SAH, 6 (8.8%) cortical SAH, and 2 (2.9%) xanthochromia only. Sixty-one patients had good Hunt and Hess (H/H) grades (I-III) and seven had poor grades (IV-V). Additional diagnostic studies included repeat angiogram (54), brain and C-spine magnetic resonance imaging (20), and repeat CTA (15). A structural bleeding cause was determined in six (8.8%) patients, 4 of which had diffuse SAH and 2 cortical SAH. Among these, two aneurysms (2.9%) were detected and surgically clipped, and both had diffuse SAH. Twenty-nine patients (42.6%) experienced medical complications, with infection (18), cardiovascular problems (12), and vasospasm (10) being the most frequent events. Additional surgeries included 13 ventriculoperitoneal shunts, 4 tracheostomies, and 9 gastric tube placements. Favorable outcome (mRS = 0-2) was recorded in 49 (72.1%) patients and unfavorable (3-6) in 19 (17.49%), with 1 (1.2%) in-hospital death. Multivariable logistic regression revealed older age and diffuse bleeding pattern were significant predictors of unfavorable outcome. CONCLUSIONS: The overall incidence of true aneurysms in patients with angiogram-negative SAH is low (2.9%). Initial bleeding pattern strongly correlates with diagnostic yield and clinical outcome. Diffuse bleeding pattern is associated with significantly higher diagnostic yield, more in-hospital complications, and worse clinical outcome. Patients with initial imaging characteristics other than diffuse pattern SAH developed few disease related complications, with the majority of in-hospital adverse events treatment related.

Seizure Outcomes After Interventional Treatment in Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformation-Associated Epilepsy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Seizures are the second most common presenting symptom of cerebral arteriovenous malformations (AVMs). Evidence supporting different treatment modalities is continuously evolving and it remains unclear which modality offers better seizure outcomes. OBJECTIVE: To compare various interventional treatment modalities (i.e., microsurgery, radiosurgery, endovascular embolization, or multimodality treatment), regarding outcomes in AVM-associated epilepsy. METHODS: PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science were searched on December 31, 2020 for studies that evaluated outcomes in patients with AVM-associated epilepsy after undergoing different treatment modalities. Pooled analysis was performed using a random-effects model and stratified by different modalities. RESULTS: Forty-nine studies including 2668 patients were included. Interventional management was associated with a 56.0% probability of seizure freedom and a 73.0% probability of seizure improvement. The probability of discontinuing antiepileptic drugs was estimated at 38.0%. The stratified analysis showed that microsurgery was associated with a higher probability of seizure freedom and seizure improvement than was radiosurgery, endovascular, or multimodality treatment. The probability of antiepileptic drug cessation was also higher after microsurgery compared with radiation therapy; however, only clinical but not statistical significance could be inferred because of the lack of comparative analyses. CONCLUSIONS: Interventional management of AVM-related epilepsy was associated with seizure freedom and seizure improvement in 56% and 73% of cases. Microsurgery seemed to be associated with a higher incidence of seizure freedom and seizure improvement than did other modalities. Future well-designed comparative studies are needed to draw definitive conclusions regarding each modality.

Asymptomatic Moyamoya Disease in a North American Adult Cohort.

OBJECTIVE: The natural history of asymptomatic adult moyamoya disease (MMD) is unclear, and the benefit of treatment remains controversial. This study aimed to investigate the natural history of asymptomatic MMD in a North American cohort and to evaluate risk factors associated with and the effects of treatment on disease progression. METHODS: Medical records from 3 institutions of consecutive adult patients with MMD diagnosed between 1984 and 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients with unilateral or bilateral asymptomatic MMD were evaluated for subsequent development of infarction or hemorrhage. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression assessed risk factors associated with infarction or hemorrhage, adjusting for age, sex, race, initial Suzuki grade, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, obesity, presence of aneurysms, smoking status, aspirin, and statin use at diagnosis. RESULTS: We identified 106 hemispheres with asymptomatic MMD in 97 patients with mean 5.1 years (interquartile range, 1.0-7.9 years) of follow-up. Of 106 hemispheres, 59 were treated medically, and 47 were treated with revascularization with direct or indirect bypasses. The medical and surgical cohorts had a 1.9% and 1.3% annual rate of radiographic infarction or hemorrhage per hemisphere, respectively. Cox regression for radiographic events, including early postoperative events, showed no significant difference between the treatment groups (adjusted hazard ratio 0.34 [95% confidence interval 0.05-2.5]). CONCLUSIONS: We found an overall 1.7% annual rate of radiographic infarction or hemorrhage in asymptomatic MMD hemispheres. Although we did not find a benefit to surgical treatment within the study period, asymptomatic patients with expected long-term survival may benefit from surgery given the sustained long-term benefits after surgery despite an initial postoperative risk.

Somatic Variants in SVIL in Cerebral Aneurysms.

Background and Objectives: While somatic mutations have been well-studied in cancer, their roles in other complex traits are much less understood. Our goal is to identify somatic variants that may contribute to the formation of saccular cerebral aneurysms. Methods: We performed whole-exome sequencing on aneurysm tissues and paired peripheral blood. RNA sequencing and the CRISPR/Cas9 system were then used to perform functional validation of our results. Results: Somatic variants involved in supervillin (SVIL) or its regulation were found in 17% of aneurysm tissues. In the presence of a mutation in the SVIL gene, the expression level of SVIL was downregulated in the aneurysm tissue compared with normal control vessels. Downstream signaling pathways that were induced by knockdown of SVIL via the CRISPR/Cas9 system in vascular smooth muscle cells (vSMCs) were determined by evaluating changes in gene expression and protein kinase phosphorylation. We found that SVIL regulated the phenotypic modulation of vSMCs to the synthetic phenotype via Krüppel-like factor 4 and platelet-derived growth factor and affected cell migration of vSMCs via the RhoA/ROCK pathway. Discussion: We propose that somatic variants form a novel mechanism for the development of cerebral aneurysms. Specifically, somatic variants in SVIL result in the phenotypic modulation of vSMCs, which increases the susceptibility to aneurysm formation. This finding suggests a new avenue for the therapeutic intervention and prevention of cerebral aneurysms.

Cannabis Use and Increased Nonaneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage in the Past Decade.

OBJECTIVE: Spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage is often due to rupture of an intracranial aneurysm, but some patients present with no identifiable source. Increased incidence of nonaneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (naSAH) has been reported over time. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of naSAH from 2008-2017 to determine the rate of naSAH change over time and its association with cannabis use. Univariable and multivariable regression analyses were performed to study the trend over time, radiographic patterns of hemorrhage, and clinical outcome at the time of discharge. In addition, we compared the rate of naSAH with the rate of aneurysmal SAH (aSAH) to adjust for changes in hospital volume and prevalence/reporting of cannabis use in the population over time. RESULTS: A total of 86 naSAH and 328 aSAH patients were identified, with an increase in naSAH over time compared with aSAH (P = 0.0034). Increased cannabis use was associated with naSAH (odds ratio [OR] 2.1, 95% confidence interval 1.1, 4.1, P = 0.035) but not aSAH over time. Cannabis use was also associated with different subarachnoid hemorrhage patterns (P = 0.0065) in naSAH. Multivariable analysis demonstrated good neurologic outcome after naSAH to be inversely associated with cocaine use (OR 0.008 [0.002-0.4]), ventriculostomy placement (OR 0.004 [0.03-0.50]), and anticoagulant use (OR 0.016 [0.003-0.54]) but not with cannabis use. CONCLUSIONS: As cannabis use becomes more prevalent with legalization, it is important to further investigate this association with spontaneous SAH.

Direct vs Indirect Revascularization in a North American Cohort of Moyamoya Disease.

BACKGROUND: In adults with ischemic moyamoya disease (MMD), the efficacy of direct vs indirect revascularization procedures remains a matter of debate. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the outcomes of ischemic MMD in a North American cohort treated by direct and indirect revascularizations. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed medical records of adult patients with MMD with ischemic presentation from 1984 to 2018 at the Brigham and Women's Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital who underwent either direct or indirect bypasses. Early postoperative events and outcome at more than 6 mo postoperatively were evaluated using multivariable logistic regression analyses. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were used to evaluate delayed ischemic and hemorrhagic events. Analyses were performed per hemisphere. RESULTS: A total of 95 patients with MMD and 127 hemispheres were included in this study. A total of 3.5% and 8.6% of patients had early surgical complications in the direct and indirect bypass cohorts, respectively (P = .24). Hemispheres with direct bypasses had fewer long-term ischemic and hemorrhagic events at latest follow-up (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 0.19, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.058-0.63, P = .007; median follow-up 4.5 [interquartile range, IQR 1-8] yr). There was no difference between the direct and indirect bypass groups when the endpoint was limited to infarction and hemorrhage only (P = .12). There was no difference in outcome (modified Rankin Scale [mRS] ≥ 3) between the 2 cohorts (P = .92). CONCLUSION: There was no difference in early postoperative events, long-term infarction or hemorrhage, or clinical outcome between direct and indirect revascularization. However, there was a significant decrease in all ischemic and hemorrhagic events combined in direct revascularizations compared to indirect revascularizations.

Familial Predisposition and Differences in Radiographic Patterns in Spontaneous Nonaneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage.

BACKGROUND: Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) from an intracranial aneurysmal rupture is the most common nontraumatic etiology for SAH, but up to 15% of patients with SAH have no identifiable source. OBJECTIVE: To assess familial predisposition to spontaneous nonaneurysmal SAH (naSAH) and to evaluate whether family history affects the severity of presentation and prognosis of this condition. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of all spontaneous SAH with negative digital subtraction angiography from 2004 to 2018. Patients were divided into 2 groups: patients with first- or second-degree relatives with intracranial aneurysms and patients with no family history. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were used to study patient presentation, radiographic patterns of hemorrhage, and clinical outcome. RESULTS: A total of 100 patients met the inclusion criteria. There were no individuals with family history of naSAH. A total of 15 patients (15%) had at least one family member with an intracranial aneurysm, of which 12 (12%) presented as SAH. Patients without family history had a higher percentage of perimesencephalic presentation, whereas those with family history had a higher percentage of nonperimesencephalic SAH presentation (47% vs 13%, odds ratio [OR] 0.17 [95% CI 0.04, 0.81]). CONCLUSION: We found a high rate of family history of intracranial aneurysms in patients who presented with naSAH. Although there was no difference in clinical outcome in patients with and without family history, there appears to be a higher percentage of nonperimesencephalic radiographic patterns of SAH in those with family history, suggesting possible different etiologies of these hemorrhages.

Insulin in the Management of Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The role of tight glycemic control in the management of acute ischemic stroke remains uncertain. Our goal is to evaluate the effects of tight glucose control with insulin therapy after acute ischemic stroke. METHODS: We searched PubMed, CENTRAL, and Embase for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that evaluated the effects of tight glycemic control (70-135 mg/dL) in acute ischemic stroke. Analysis was performed using fixed-effects and random-effects models. Outcomes were death, independence, and modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score at ≥90 days follow-up, and symptomatic or severe hypoglycemia during treatment. RESULTS: Twelve RCTs including 2734 patients were included. Compared with conventional therapy or placebo, tight glycemic control was associated with similar rates of mortality at ≥90 days follow-up (pooled odds ratio [pOR], 0.99; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.79-1.22]; I2 = 0%), independence at ≥90 days follow-up (pOR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.79-1.14; I2 = 0%) and mRS scores at ≥90 days follow-up (standardized mean difference, 0.014; 95% CI, -0.15 to 0.17; I2 = 0%). In contrast, tight glycemic control was associated with increased rates of symptomatic or severe hypoglycemia during treatment (pOR, 5.2; 95% CI, 1.7-15.9; I2 = 28%). CONCLUSIONS: Tight glucose control after acute ischemic stroke is not associated with improvements in mortality, independence, or mRS score and leads to higher rates of symptomatic or severe hypoglycemia.