Prognostic significance of early pyrexia in acute intracerebral haemorrhage: The INTERACT2 study

Uncertainty exists over the prognostic significance of pyrexia in acute intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH). We aimed to determine the association of elevated body temperature with clinical and imaging outcomes among participants of the main Intensive Blood Pressure Reduction in Acute Cerebral Haemorrhage Trial (INTERACT2).

Post-hoc analyses of INTERACT2, an international open, blinded outcome assessed, randomised trial of 2839 patients with spontaneous ICH (<6 h of onset) and elevated systolic blood pressure (SBP, 150-220 mmHg) randomly assigned to intensive (SBP target <140 mmHg) or guideline-recommended (SBP target < 180 mmHg) BP management. Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine associations of elevated baseline body temperature (<37.5 vs. ≥37.5 °C) and 90-day clinical outcome defined on the modified Rankin scale (mRS). Analysis of covariance determined relations of body temperature and haematoma and perihaematomal oedema (PHE) volumes, at baseline and 24 h post-randomisation.

Of 2792 participants with data available at admission, 39 (1.4%) patients had elevated body temperature ≥ 37.5 °C. Elevated body temperature was significantly associated with 90-day mortality (adjusted odds ratio 2.44; 95% confidence interval 1.02-5.82; P = .044) but not with major disability alone (mRS scores 3-5) and combination death or major disability (mRS scores 3-6). Elevated body temperature was also associated with larger PHE volume at baseline (10.89 vs. 3.14 cm³, P < .001;) and 24 h (12.43 vs 5.76 cm³, P = .018) but not with haematoma volumes at these time points.

Early pyrexia in mild to moderate ICH is associated with greater mortality and larger PHE volume, suggesting an early inflammatory-mediated reaction.

www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT00716079).