Effect of magnesium treatment and glucose levels on delayed cerebral ischemia in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage: a substudy of the Magnesium in Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Haemorrhage trial (MASH-II).
BACKGROUND
Magnesium treatment did not improve outcome in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage in the Magnesium in Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Haemorrhage II trial. We hypothesized that high glucose levels may have offset a potential beneficial effect to prevent delayed cerebral ischemia. We investigated if magnesium treatment led to less delayed cerebral ischemia and if glucose levels interacted with magnesium treatment in the Magnesium in Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Haemorrhage II trial.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of magnesium treatment on occurrence of delayed cerebral ischemia and the interaction between glucose levels and magnesium treatment in subarachnoid hemorrhage patients.


METHODS
The Magnesium in Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Haemorrhage was a phase III randomized placebo-controlled trial assessing the effect of magnesium sulphate on clinical outcome in aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage patients. For the current study, we included only the patients admitted to the University Medical Centre-Utrecht. We calculated hazard ratios for occurrence of delayed cerebral ischemia in patients treated with magnesium vs. placebo for the entire study population, and separately in the subgroups of patients with high and low mean fasting and mean daily glucose levels until onset of delayed cerebral ischemia. We used the cross-product of magnesium and glucose in the regression analysis to evaluate whether an interaction between magnesium and glucose existed.


RESULTS
We included 616 patients: 307 received magnesium and 309 placebo; 156 patients had delayed cerebral ischemia. Hazard ratio for magnesium on occurrence of delayed cerebral ischemia was 1·0 (95% confidence interval: 0·7-1·4). Results were similar in patients with low or high fasting or daily glucose levels. We found no interactions between magnesium treatment and high fasting (P = 0·54) and daily glucose (P = 0·60).


CONCLUSIONS
Magnesium treatment did not reduce the risk of delayed cerebral ischemia in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage, nor was there an interaction with glucose levels. It is therefore unlikely that glucose levels explain the failure of magnesium to prevent delayed cerebral ischemia and poor outcome after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.
Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Jolien F
JF
Leijenaar
Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Sanne M
SM
Dorhout Mees
Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.|Julius Centre for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Ale
A
Algra
Department of Critical Care, University Medical Centre Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Walter M
WM
van den Bergh
Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Gabriel J E
GJ
Rinkel
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005215:Fasting / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008274:Magnesium / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013345:Subarachnoid Hemorrhage / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015898:Tomography Scanners, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D008274:Magnesium; D005947:Glucose
DCI; SAH; delayed cerebral ischemia; glucose; magnesium; subarachnoid hemorrhage