Prevalence and determinants of cognitive complaints after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.
BACKGROUND
To investigate the prevalence of cognitive complaints after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) and the relationships between cognitive complaints and cognitive impairments, disability and emotional problems.


METHODS
Cognitive complaints were assessed with the Checklist for Cognitive and Emotional Consequences following stroke (CLCE-24) in 111 persons who visited our outpatient clinic 3 months after SAH. Associations between cognitive complaints and cognitive functioning, demographic characteristics, disability and emotional problems were examined using Spearman correlations and linear regression analysis.


RESULTS
In this study group, 105 patients (94.6%) reported at least one cognitive or emotional complaint that hampered everyday functioning. The most frequently reported cognitive complaints were mental slowness, short-term memory problems and attention deficits. All cognitive domains, disability, depressive symptoms and feelings of anxiety were significantly associated with the CLCE-24 cognition score. In the final regression model, memory functioning (beta value -0.21), disability (-0.28) and depressive symptoms (0.40) were significant determinants of cognitive complaints, together explaining 35.4% of the variance.


CONCLUSIONS
Cognitive complaints are common after SAH and associated with memory deficits, disability and depressive symptoms. Rehabilitation programs should focus on these symptoms and deficits.
Passier
P E C A
PE
Department of Rehabilitation, Nursing Science and Sports, Rudolf Magnus Institute for Neuroscience, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands. p.passier@dehoogstraat.nl
Visser-Meily
J M A
JM
van Zandvoort
M J E
MJ
Post
M W M
MW
Rinkel
G J E
GJ
van Heugten
C
C
D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D000368:Aged; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D056344:Executive Function; D005260:Female; D023261:Glasgow Outcome Scale; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013345:Subarachnoid Hemorrhage / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome