title: The impact of cardiac complications on outcome in the SAH population.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA. ecrago@pitt.edu
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Crago
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Kerr
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baldisseri
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Horowitz
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yonas
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kassam
mesh_terms: 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