Risk factors and outcome of seizures after spontaneous aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.
OBJECTIVE
Seizures are important neurologic complications of spontaneous aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). A better understanding of the risk factors of seizures following aneurysmal SAH is needed to predict those who will require treatment.


METHODS
A total of 137 adult patients were enrolled in this two-year retrospective study. Baseline prognostic variables were analyzed based on Cox's proportional hazards model after a minimum of one-year follow-up.


RESULTS
Seizures occurred in 21 patients who had SAH, including acute symptomatic seizures in 11.7% (16/137) and unprovoked seizures in 3.6% (5/137). None progressed to status epilepticus during hospitalization. After a minimum of one-year follow-up, the mean Glasgow Outcome Score was 3.5 +/- 1.4 for patients with seizures and 3.1 +/- 1.1 for those without.


CONCLUSIONS
Higher mean World Federation of Neurological Societies grade on presentation was predictive of seizure, but seizure itself was not a significant prognostic predictor after a minimum of one-year follow-up. Regarding potential side effects of anti-epileptic drugs, anti-epileptic therapy should be carefully administered to patients with seizures after aneurysmal SAH.
Lin
Y-J
YJ
Department of Neurosurgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital-Kaohsiung Medical Center, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Chang
W-N
WN
Chang
H-W
HW
Ho
J-T
JT
Lee
T-C
TC
Wang
H-C
HC
Tsai
N-W
NW
Tsai
M-H
MH
Lu
C-H
CH
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002533:Cerebral Angiography; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012640:Seizures / Q000209:etiology*; D013345:Subarachnoid Hemorrhage / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology