title: Hypertension as a risk factor for epilepsy after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage and surgery.
abstract: A prospective, consecutive series of 307 patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage ranging from Grades 1 to V according to the classification of Hunt and Hess on admission were evaluated to determine the incidence of epilepsy 1 to 3 years (mean, 1.4 years) after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) and surgery. Sixty-three patients had died and one patient was lost to follow-up. Twenty-nine patients developed epileptic seizures after the SAH and surgery. The mean time from the SAH to epileptic seizure varied from 0 days (day of the SAH) to 2 years (mean, 6.7 months). The seizures were classified as focal in 9 patients (31%) and as generalized in 20 patients (69%). All patients received anticonvulsant medication after more than one seizure. The risk factors for development of posthemorrhagic/postoperative epilepsy were, in order of importance: a history of hypertension; an infarct on late computed tomographic scan; and the duration of coma after the ictus. Of the 85 patients with histories of hypertension, 17 (20.0%) developed epilepsy. Only 12 (5.4%) of the 222 nonhypertensive patients developed epileptic seizures. The difference between the groups was significant (P = 0.0001). Computed tomographic scans were undertaken in 237 patients 1 to 3 years (mean, 1.4 years) after the SAH and surgery. Postoperative epilepsy was significantly associated with infarcts visualized on computed tomographic scan (P = 0.0005).
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Finland.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ohman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications*; D002532:Intracranial Aneurysm / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009420:Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012307:Risk Factors; D013345:Subarachnoid Hemorrhage / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed