[Signs predicting early growth of intracerebral haemorrhage in computer tomography without enhancement and mortality]

Rev Neurol. 2018 Oct 1;67(7):242-248.
[Article in Spanish]

Abstract

Introduction: Intracerebral haemorrhage is associated with high morbidity and mortality, and an increase in its volume in the early phases entails a poorer prognosis. The blend sign, the heterogeneous density, the irregular morphology and a fluid level in the haematoma are related to an early growth of the haematoma.

Aim: To determine whether these four characteristics are associated with greater mortality at 7, 30 and 90 days of the occurrence of the intracerebral haemorrhage.

Patients and methods: A retrospective cohort study that included all the patients attended in our hospital between 2010 and 2015 for spontaneous intracerebral haemorrhage with a computed tomography brain scan performed in the first six hours following the onset of symptoms.

Results: Of the 158 patients included in the sample, 23 (14.6%) presented blend sign; 39 (24.7%), heterogeneity; 53 (33.5%), irregularity; and 33 (20.9%), fluid level. In the bivariate analysis, only heterogeneity and irregularity were associated with increased mortality at 7, 30 and 90 days. In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, previous treatment with an antiplatelet drug, a score on the Glasgow Coma Scale below 13 and irregularity were associated with higher mortality in the first seven days.

Conclusion: The study shows an association between irregularity of the haematoma and mortality in the first seven days. Irregularity would allow identification of patients with a more unfavourable prognosis; in these cases, strict surveillance, especially of factors related to the growth of the haematoma, could improve their prognosis.

Title: Signos predictores de crecimiento precoz de la hemorragia intracerebral en la tomografia computarizada sin contraste y mortalidad.

Introduccion. La hemorragia intracerebral esta asociada a una elevada morbimortalidad y su aumento de volumen en fases iniciales conlleva un peor pronostico. El signo de la mezcla, la densidad heterogenea, la morfologia irregular y un nivel liquido en el hematoma se relacionan con un crecimiento precoz del hematoma. Objetivo. Determinar si esas cuatro caracteristicas se asocian a una mayor mortalidad a los 7, 30 y 90 dias de ocurrida la hemorragia intracerebral. Pacientes y metodos. Estudio de cohortes retrospectivo que incluyo a todos los pacientes atendidos en nuestro hospital, entre 2010 y 2015, por una hemorragia intracerebral espontanea con tomografia computarizada cerebral realizada en las primeras seis horas tras el inicio de los sintomas. Resultados. De los 158 pacientes incluidos, 23 (14,6%) presentaban signo de la mezcla, 39 (24,7%) heterogeneidad, 53 (33,5%) irregularidad y 33 (20,9%) nivel liquido. En el analisis bivariante, solo la heterogeneidad y la irregularidad se asociaron a mayor mortalidad a los 7, 30 y 90 dias. En el analisis por regresion logistica multivariante, el tratamiento previo con antiagregante plaquetario, una puntuacion en la escala de coma de Glasgow menor de 13 y la irregularidad se asociaron a una mayor mortalidad en los siete primeros dias. Conclusion. El estudio muestra asociacion entre la irregularidad del hematoma y la mortalidad en los siete primeros dias. La irregularidad permitiria identificar a pacientes con peor pronostico, en los que una vigilancia estricta, especialmente de factores relacionados con el crecimiento del hematoma, podria mejorar su pronostico.

MeSH terms

  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Cerebral Hemorrhage / diagnostic imaging*
  • Cerebral Hemorrhage / mortality*
  • Cerebral Hemorrhage / pathology
  • Cohort Studies
  • Female
  • Hematoma / diagnostic imaging
  • Hematoma / pathology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Time Factors
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed