Non-traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage is associated with subnormal blood creatinine levels

The aim of this study was to examine the hypothesis that patients with non-traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) have statistically significant subnormal creatinine levels and that the creatinine levels are associated with severity of disease.

This was a retrospective observational study over 2 years (2005-2006) in which the SAH patients were divided into patients with severe symptoms and patients with mild/moderate symptoms, and were compared to patients with; traumatic brain injury, trauma without brain injury and patients undergoing elective knee surgery. Blood creatinine levels (day 1-3, and day 7) were recorded.

Compared to a normal distribution, SAH patients had statistically significant subnormal creatinine levels day one through seven. SAH patients with severe symptoms had statistically significant subnormal creatinine levels already on day one, in contrast to patients with mild/moderate symptoms. Women with severe symptoms had statistically significant subnormal creatinine levels throughout the study period in contrast to men with severe symptoms who had a normal distribution of creatinine at admission. Women with mild/moderate symptoms had a normal distribution of creatinine only at admission in contrast to men who had a normal distribution of creatinine throughout the study period. Male patients with traumatic brain injury, all trauma patients without brain injury and all patients undergoing elective knee surgery had a normal distribution of creatinine on all studied days.

SAH is associated with subnormal serum creatinine levels. This finding is more pronounced in patients with severe symptoms and in women.