Patient Age and Vasospasm After Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

BACKGROUND: Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) from a ruptured intracranial aneurysm is a devastating disease with high mortality and morbidity. The incidence of SAH increases with advancing age. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether age is an independent predictor of angiographic vasospasm, delayed ischemic neurological deficits (DINDs), or abnormal transcranial Doppler (TCD) measurements in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. METHODS: Data from CONSCIOUS-1 (Clazosentan to Overcome Neurological Ischemia and Infarct Occurring After Subarachnoid Hemorrhage study), a dose-finding study of clazosentan, were used. Data on angiographic vasospasm, DINDs, and TCD abnormalities were prospectively recorded as well as baseline characteristics and treatment data. Patient age was considered in 3 ways: as a continuous variable, dichotomized at age 65 years, and categorized by decade. Age was investigated as the main variable, whereas other possible confounding variables were adjusted for in the multiple logistic regression modeling with each of 3 dichotomized vasospasm outcome measures, presence or absence of angiographic vasospasm, DINDs, and TCD abnormalities as the dependent variable. RESULTS: The proportions of patients with angiographic vasospasm, DINDs, and TCD abnormalities were 45%, 19%, and 81%, respectively. Age, whether considered as a continuous, dichotomous, or a categorical variable, was not significantly associated with angiographic vasospasm, DINDs, or abnormal TCD measurements. CONCLUSION: Age does not seem to be a significant predictor for cerebral vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage.