Intracerebral hemorrhage in cocaine users.
OBJECTIVE
Cocaine is a cause of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), but there are no large studies that have characterized the location, pathology, and outcome of patients with cocaine-associated ICH.


METHODS
We performed a retrospective analysis of all patients admitted to our stroke service from 2004 to 2007 who had nontraumatic ICH and urine drug screens positive for cocaine and compared them with similar patients who had negative drug screens for cocaine.


RESULTS
We identified 45 patients with cocaine-associated ICH and 105 patients with cocaine-negative ICH. There were no significant differences in age or gender, but there was a significantly higher incidence of black patients in the cocaine-positive group. Cocaine-associated ICH patients had higher admission blood pressures, significantly more subcortical hemorrhages, and higher rates of intraventricular hemorrhage compared to patients with cocaine-negative ICH. Cocaine-positive patients had worse functional outcome, defined as modified Rankin Scale score >3 at the time of discharge (OR, 4.90; 95% CI, 2.19-10.97), and were less likely to be discharged home or to inpatient rehabilitation. Patients with cocaine-associated ICH were nearly 3-times more likely to die during their acute hospitalization when compared to cocaine-negative patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Recent cocaine ingestion is associated with hemorrhages that occur more frequently in subcortical locations, have a higher risk of intraventricular hemorrhage, and have a poor prognosis compared to patients with cocaine-negative, spontaneous ICH.
Martin-Schild
Sheryl
S
Department of Neurology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA.
Albright
Karen C
KC
Hallevi
Hen
H
Barreto
Andrew D
AD
Philip
Maria
M
Misra
Vivek
V
Grotta
James C
JC
Savitz
Sean I
SI
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D003042:Cocaine / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000652:urine; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D044469:Racial Groups; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000652:urine
D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents; D003042:Cocaine