Baseline characteristics and outcome for aneurysmal versus non-aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage: a prospective cohort study

This study aims to investigate the characteristics of patients with mild aneurysmal and non-aneurysmal perimesencephalic and non-perimesencephalic subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH, pmSAH, npmSAH) with emphasis on admission biomarkers, clinical course, and outcome. A prospective cohort of 115 patients with aSAH (Hunt and Hess 1–3) and of 35 patients without aneurysms (16 pmSAH and 19 npmSAH) admitted between January 2014 and January 2020 was included. Demographic data, blood samples on admission, complications (hydrocephalus, shunt dependency, delayed cerebral ischemia DCI, DCI-related infarction, and mortality), and outcome after 6 months were analyzed. Demographic data was comparable between all groups except for age (aSAH 55 [48–65] vs. npmSAH 60 [56–68] vs. pmSAH 52 [42–60], p = 0.032) and loss of consciousness (33% vs. 0% vs. 0%, p = 0.0004). Admission biomarkers showed poorer renal function and highest glucose levels for npmSAH patients. Complication rate in npmSAH was high and comparable to that of aSAH patients (hydrocephalus, shunt dependency, DCI, DCI-related infarction, mortality), but nearly absent in patients with pmSAH. Favorable outcome after 6 months was seen in 92.9% of pmSAH, 83.3% of npmSAH, and 62.7% of aSAH (p = 0.0264). In this prospective cohort of SAH patients, npmSAH was associated with a complicated clinical course, comparable to that of patients with aSAH. In contrast, such complications were nearly absent in pmSAH patients, suggesting fundamental differences in the pathophysiology of patients with different types of non-aneurysmal hemorrhage. Our findings underline the importance for a precise terminology according the hemorrhage etiology as a basis for more vigilant management of npmSAH patients. NCT02142166, 05/20/2014, retrospectively registered. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10143-021-01650-x.