title: Cognitive, physical, and psychological status after intracranial aneurysm rupture: a cross-sectional study of a Stockholm case series 1996 to 1999.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We sought to (1) describe psychological, physical, and cognitive functions in patients 10 years after intracranial aneurysm rupture and (2) identify any differences in outcome variables between age groups, gender or aneurysm locations.
  
  
  METHODS
  A consecutive sample of patients (n=217) treated for intracranial aneurysm rupture at a neurosurgical clinic in Stockholm, Sweden, were followed-up in a cross-sectional design 10.1 years after the onset with questionnaires and telephone interviews. The outcome measures were psychological functions in terms of symptoms of anxiety or depression and physical and cognitive functions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with the reference groups, the aneurysm patients scored greater levels of anxiety and depression than normal values. Patients with aneurysm rupture in the posterior circulation scored significantly more problems with anxiety and depression. Only 2.8% of the patients scored for severe physical disability. On a group level, cognition was lower than normal population levels; 21.7% of respondents scored below the cut-off value, indicating cognitive impairments.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ten years after aneurysm rupture the majority of patients seem to be well-functioning physically, whereas the psychological and cognitive functions are affected. A screening of the mental health of these patients in connection to radiological follow-up might be helpful to identify which patients need further referral to psychiatric treatment for anxiety and depression disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. ann-christin.von-vogelsang@ki.se
authors.forename: Ann-Christin
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: von Vogelsang
authors.forename: Mikael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Svensson
authors.forename: Yvonne
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wengström
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Forsberg
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017542:Aneurysm, Ruptured / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery*; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D002532:Intracranial Aneurysm / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology; D013548:Sweden; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult