title: Patients Experience High Levels of Anxiety 2 Years Following Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore anxiety levels during the first 2 years after rupture of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.
  
  
  METHODS
  A consecutive sample of patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) (n = 88, 84.6% of eligible) from a Swedish neurosurgical clinic were followed-up with a prospective cohort design at 3 time points; 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years after the onset. Data were collected by postal questionnaires and telephone interviews: State trait anxiety inventory, Hospital anxiety and depression scales, Barthel index, Telephone interview for cognitive status, and a set of study-specific questions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most of the respondents scored above the State trait anxiety inventory Swedish norm value on anxiety levels at all 3 follow-up time points. About 59% (n = 52) of respondents scored above the cutoff value for clinical significant level of anxiety in at least 1 time point during the first 2 years after rupture of aSAH. There were no significant differences in levels of anxiety versus the observational period and the 3 follow-up time points. The most significant explanatory variable to high levels of anxiety at all 3 follow-up time points was low perceived recovery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Levels of anxiety remained high and stable throughout the first 2 years after rupture of aSAH. High levels of anxiety may reduce health-related quality of life substantially. Identification of individuals with high levels of anxiety and supportive care could therefore potentially improve long-term outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Neurosurgery, Karolinska University hospital, Stockholm, Sweden. Electronic address: ann-christin.von-vogelsang@ki.se.
authors.forename: Ann-Christin
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: von Vogelsang
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Neurosurgery, Karolinska University hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Forsberg
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Neurosurgery, Karolinska University hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Mikael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Svensson
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Neurosurgery, Karolinska University hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Yvonne
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wengström
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017542:Aneurysm, Ruptured / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D003071:Cognition; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D023261:Glasgow Outcome Scale; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D002532:Intracranial Aneurysm / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D057566:Self Report; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013345:Subarachnoid Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Anxiety; Intracranial aneurysm; Subarachnoid hemorrhage