title: Effect of a free radical scavenger, edaravone, in the treatment of patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  It is hypothesized that cerebral vasospasm after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is induced by free radicals released from a subarachnoid clot. This study therefore investigated the effect of a new free radical scavenger, edaravone, in the treatment of patients with aneurysmal SAH.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety-one patients with aneurysmal SAH participated in this study and were randomized into a control group (n = 42) and an edaravone-treated group (n = 49). The difference between the 2 groups in terms of incidence of delayed ischemic neurological deficits (DINDs) and cerebral infarction caused by vasospasm, and Glasgow Outcome Scale score at 3 months after SAH were statistically analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The incidence of DINDs was 21% in the control group and 10% in the edaravone-treated group, yet there was no statistically significant difference between the 2 groups (P = 0.118). In patients with DINDs, the incidence of cerebral infarction caused by vasospasm was 66% in the control group and 0% in the edaravone-treated group (P = 0.028), whereas the incidence of poor outcome caused by vasospasm was 71% in the control group and 0% in the edaravone-treated group (P = 0.046).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found a trend toward a lesser incidence of DINDs and a lesser incidence of poor outcome caused by cerebral vasospasm in edaravone-treated patients. It might therefore be suggested that edaravone is a useful agent for the treatment of aneurysmal SAH.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Hirosaki University School of Medicine, Hirosaki, Japan.
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Munakata
authors.forename: Hiroki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ohkuma
authors.forename: Takahiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakano
authors.forename: Norihito
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shimamura
authors.forename: Kenichirou
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Asano
authors.forename: Masato
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Naraoka
mesh_terms: D000983:Antipyrine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D015897:Comorbidity; D000077553:Edaravone; D005260:Female; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013345:Subarachnoid Hemorrhage / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D020301:Vasospasm, Intracranial / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D000077553:Edaravone; D000983:Antipyrine