The impact of cardiac complications on outcome in the SAH population.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the impact of cardiac complications (CdCs) on outcomes in patients with acute subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH).


METHODS
Eighty-one adult aneurysmal SAH patients with a fisher grade >1 and/or a Hunt and Hess grade >2 were recruited for this study. CdCs were defined as electrocardiogram (ECG) changes, myocardial necrosis, arrythmias, or pulmonary edema. Outcomes were assessed at 3, 6 and 12 months by telephone interview using the Modified Rankin Scale (MRS), Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS), Barthel Index and Medical Outcome study Short Form-36 (SF-36).


RESULTS
The CdCs occurred in 33% of patients. The most common CdCs were arrythmias and pulmonary edema (30%). There was no significant difference in mortality between the two groups. At 3 months there was a significant difference in the Barthel (P = 0.007) and the SF-36 (P = 0.014) with trends in the GOS (P = 0.049) and the MRS (P = 0.063). At 6 months a significant difference remained in the SF-36 (P = 0.028) and a trend in the Barthel (P = 0.069).


CONCLUSIONS
Results show that CdCs may negatively impact outcomes in SAH patients up to 6 months following hemorrhage.
Crago
E A
EA
University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA. ecrago@pitt.edu
Kerr
M E
ME
Kong
Y
Y
Baldisseri
M
M
Horowitz
M
M
Yonas
H
H
Kassam
A
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D023261:Glasgow Outcome Scale; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011446:Prospective Studies; D020127:Recovery of Function; D013345:Subarachnoid Hemorrhage / Q000150:complications* / Q000401:mortality; D015996:Survival Rate