OBJECTIVE Intracerebral hematoma (ICH) with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) indicates a unique feature of intracranial aneurysm rupture since the aneurysm is in the subarachnoid space and separated from the brain by pia mater. Broad consensus is lacking regarding the concept that ultra-early treatment improves outcome. The aim of this study is to determine the associative factors for ICH, ascertain the prognostic value of ICH, and investigate how the timing of treatment relates to the outcome of SAH with concurrent ICH. METHODS The study data were pooled from the SAH International Trialists repository. Logistic regression was applied to study the associations of clinical and aneurysm characteristics with ICH. Proportional odds models and dominance analysis were applied to study the effect of ICH on 3-month outcome (Glasgow Outcome Scale) and investigate the effect of time from ictus to treatment on outcome. RESULTS Of the 5362 SAH patients analyzed, 1120 (21%) had concurrent ICH. In order of importance, neurological status, aneurysm location, aneurysm size, and patient ethnicity were significantly associated with ICH. Patients with ICH experienced poorer outcome than those without ICH (OR 1.58; 95% CI 1.37-1.82). Treatment within 6 hours of SAH was associated with poorer outcome than treatment thereafter (adjusted OR 1.67; 95% CI 1.04-2.69). Subgroup analysis with adjustment for ICH volume, location, and midline shift resulted in no association between time from ictus to treatment and outcome (OR 0.99; 95% CI 0.94-1.07). CONCLUSIONS The most important associative factor for ICH is neurological status on admission. The finding regarding the value of ultra-early treatment suggests the need to more robustly reevaluate the concept that hematoma evacuation of an ICH and repair of a ruptured aneurysm within 6 hours of ictus is the most optimal treatment path.
Keywords: ACA = anterior cerebral artery; BP = blood pressure; C-1 = CONSCIOUS-1 trial; DBP = diastolic blood pressure; DM = diabetes mellitus; EBI = early brain injury; GOS = Glasgow Outcome Scale; ICA = internal carotid artery; ICH = intracerebral hematoma; IVH = intraventricular hemorrhage; MCA = middle cerebral artery; MI = myocardial infarction; PCA = posterior cerebral artery; SAH = subarachnoid hemorrhage; SAHIT = SAH International Trialists; SBP = systolic blood pressure; SHOP = SAH Outcomes Project; WFNS = World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies; intracerebral hematoma; intracranial aneurysm; outcome assessment; subarachnoid hemorrhage; vascular disorders.