Detection of copeptin in peripheral blood of patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage

INTRODUCTION: Copeptin has been proposed as a prognostic marker in acute illness. This study investigated the ability of copeptin to predict the disease outcome and cerebrovasospasm in the patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. METHODS: In this retrospective study, 303 consecutive patients were included. Upon admission, plasma copeptin levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The end points were mortality after 1 year, in-hospital mortality, cerebrovasospasm and poor functional outcome (Glasgow Outcome Scale score of 1-3) after 1 year. RESULTS: Upon admission, plasma copeptin level in patients was statistically significantly higher than that in healthy controls. A multivariate analysis showed that plasma copeptin level was an independent predictor of poor functional outcome and mortality after 1 year, in-hospital mortality and cerebrovasospasm. A receiver operating characteristic curve showed that plasma copeptin level on admission predicted poor functional outcome and mortality after 1 year, in-hospital mortality and cerebrovasospasm of patients statistically significantly. The area under curve of the copeptin concentration was similar to those of World Federation of Neurological Surgeons (WFNS) score and modified Fisher score for the prediction of poor functional outcome and mortality after 1 year, and in-hospital mortality, but not for the prediction of cerebrovasospasm. In a combined logistic-regression model, copeptin improved the area under curve of WFNS score and modified Fisher score for the prediction of poor functional outcome after 1 year, but not for the prediction of mortality after 1 year, in-hospital mortality, and cerebrovasospasm. CONCLUSIONS: Copeptin level is a useful, complementary tool to predict functional outcome and mortality after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.