Astheno-emotional disorder after aneurysmal SAH: reliability, symptomatology and relation to outcome.
OBJECTIVE
Neuropsychiatric symptoms commonly found after aneurysmal SAH are covered in the astheno-emotional disorder (AED) of Lindqvist & Malmgrens diagnostic system for organic psychiatry. This study aims to describe the reliability and symptomatology of AED and its relationship with social outcome.


METHODS
Patients referred due to aneurysmal SAH (n=78) were assessed after 1-6 months for AED inter-rater reliability (n=36) and after 12 months for AED severity grade, symptomatology and Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) (n=63).


RESULTS
There was no systematic error in diagnosing and grading AED, and the agreement was 85% and 67% respectively (kappa=0.65 and 0.52). Fatigability, concentration difficulties and memory difficulties were the most frequent symptoms of AED. The relationship between AED and "moderate disability" of GOS was highly significant (P<0.00006).


CONCLUSIONS
AED affects social outcome, and can be diagnosed with high reliability even without neuropsychological testing. Use of the AED diagnosis for evaluation of organic mental symptoms is encouraged.
Rödholm
M
M
Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Clinical Neuroscience, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg University, Sweden.
Starmark
J E
JE
Svensson
E
E
Von Essen
C
C
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001247:Asthenia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D005221:Fatigue / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D015588:Observer Variation; D012372:ROC Curve; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013345:Subarachnoid Hemorrhage / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis