title: Non-aneurysmal spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage: perimesencephalic versus non-perimesencephalic.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the clinical evolution of perimesencephalic subarachnoid hemorrhage and non-perimesencephalic subarachnoid hemorrhage.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted retrospectively in a tertiary hospital center in the north region of Portugal. Included patients had no identifiable cause for subarachnoid hemorrhage. Several epidemiologic, clinical and imaging aspects were statistically analyzed, taking into account the differences in perimesencephalic subarachnoid hemorrhage and non-perimesencephalic subarachnoid hemorrhage.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-two patients met the inclusion criteria (46.8% - perimesencephalic subarachnoid hemorrhage; 53.2% - non-perimesencephalic subarachnoid hemorrhage). Demographic and clinical background characteristics were similar in both groups. Complications were more frequent in patients with non-perimesencephalic subarachnoid hemorrhage - 84.8% of the patients had at least one complication versus 48.3% in perimesencephalic subarachnoid hemorrhage. Vasospasm, infection and hydrocephaly were the most common complications (each was detected more frequently in the non-perimesencephalic subarachnoid hemorrhage group than in perimesencephalic subarachnoid hemorrhage group). Two patients died, both had a non-perimesencephalic subarachnoid hemorrhage. The median inpatient time was longer in the non-perimesencephalic subarachnoid hemorrhage group (21 versus 14 days). No incidents of rebleeding were reported during the follow-up period (mean time of 15 ± 10.3 months).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Perimesencephalic subarachnoid hemorrhage and non-perimesencephalic subarachnoid hemorrhage are two different entities that have different clinical outcomes, namely in terms of complication rate and median inpatient time. The management of these patients should respect this difference to improve treatment and optimize health care resources.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Neurorradiologia, Centro Hospitalar de São João, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Luís Guilherme Bastos Silva Aguiar
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Coelho
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Neurorradiologia, Centro Hospitalar de São João, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: José Manuel Dias
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Neurologia, Centro Hospitalar de São João, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Elsa Irene Peixoto Azevedo
authors.initials: EI
authors.lastname: Silva
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D007239:Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011174:Portugal; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013345:Subarachnoid Hemorrhage / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers; D013997:Time Factors; D020301:Vasospasm, Intracranial / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*