Predictors of Symptomatic Vasospasm After Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: A Single Center Study of 457 Consecutive Cases

We set forth to identify predictors of symptomatic vasospasm in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH).

We used multivariate logistic regression analysis of the prospective, hospital based, single center register of the Department of Neurosurgery, University of Debrecen, Hungary. Evaluated patients' characteristics were: sex, age, Hunt-Hess grade on admission, location of aneurysm, thickness of blood clot on initial CT scan (Fisher grade), hypertension.

Between 1987 and 2004, 567 SAH cases were registered, 457 were included in this study. Symptomatic vasospasm developed in 22.5% of the cases. In univariate analysis, Hunt-Hess grades 2 and 3 and female sex were predictive for symptomatic vasospasm. In multivariate analysis, female sex remained a significant predictor: OR: 1.8 (1.005-3.2).

Women are at more danger of developing symptomatic vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage.