Differences in the course of acute phase of spontaneous intracerebral haemorrhage in the elderly.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to examine the correlation between age and clinical course of spontaneous intracerebral haemorrhage (SICH) in its acute phase (within 30 days), including severity of neurological deficit, characteristics and frequency of medical complications as well as 30-day mortality. We also attempted to determine independent predictors of early mortality.


METHODS
This study comprised 153 patients with SICH admitted within 24 hours after SICH onset who were treated pharmacologically and had complete clinical data. The analysis concerned the correlation between age and neurological deficit on admission and on discharge, assessed with NIHSS score; the types and the frequency of general complications that occurred in the acute phase of SICH; characteristics of head CT images; early mortality; and survival time. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to determine independent predictors of early mortality.


RESULTS
Age of patients correlated with NIHSS score on admission (p = 0.000003) and on discharge (p = 0.02); 35.2% of patients developed medical complications, presumably infectious ones, and the age of patients who developed complications was significantly higher (p = 0.004). Patients who died (21.5%) were significantly older (p = 0.0001). Predictors of death were: age (OR 1.1, 95% CI 1.02-1.19, p = 0.002) and severity of neurological deficit on admission (OR 1.3, 95% CI 1.1-1.6, p < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
In elderly patients with SICH, the neurological deficit and risk of medical complications are more evident. Greater neurological deficit in these patients may result from coincidence of SICH with earlier brain lesions. Age and greater neurological deficit on admission constitute predictors of early mortality in elderly patients with SICH.
Bajer-Czajkowska
Anna
A
Katedra i Klinika Neurologii, Pomorska Akademia Medyczna w Szczecinie, 71-252 Szczecin.
Zywica
Adrian
A
Zaborowski
Grzegorz
G
Walecka
Anna
A
Nowacki
Przemysław
P
D000208:Acute Disease; D017677:Age Distribution; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000401:mortality; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D010351:Patient Discharge / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D011379:Prognosis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016019:Survival Analysis
D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents