Cognitive functioning and health-related quality of life 1 year after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage in preoperative comatose patients (Hunt and Hess Grade V patients).
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to determine cognitive functioning and health-related quality of life 1 year after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage in preoperative comatose patients (Hunt and Hess Grade V patients).


METHODS
Patients who were comatose at hospital arrival and thereafter were investigated for 1 year using a comprehensive neuropsychological test battery and 2 HRQOL questionnaires.


RESULTS
Thirty-five of 70 patients survived the bleed, and 26 underwent neuropsychological testing. Two distinct patient groups emerged, one (n = 14) with good cognitive function, having mild deficits only, and the other (n = 12) with poor cognitive and poor motor function. Patients performing poorly were older (P = .04), had fewer years of education (P = .005) and larger preoperative ventricular scores, and were more often shunted (P = .02). There were also differences between the 2 groups in the Glasgow Outcome Scale (P = .001), the modified Rankin Scale (P = .001), and employment status. HRQOL was more reduced in patients with poor cognitive function.


CONCLUSIONS
A high fraction of survivors among preoperative comatose aneurysmal SAH patients (Hunt and Hess grade V) recover to good physical and cognitive function, enabling them to live a normal life.
Haug
Tonje
T
Department of Neuropsychiatry and Psychosomatic Medicine, Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway. tonje.haug@yahoo.com
Sorteberg
Angelika
A
Finset
Arnstein
A
Lindegaard
Karl-Fredrik
KF
Lundar
Tryggve
T
Sorteberg
Wilhelm
W
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002533:Cerebral Angiography / Q000379:methods; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D003128:Coma / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013345:Subarachnoid Hemorrhage / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D015898:Tomography Scanners, X-Ray Computed; D017585:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Transcranial / Q000379:methods; D055815:Young Adult