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(Stroke. 2001;32:2845.)
© 2001 American Heart Association, Inc.

Original Contributions

Changes in Intervention and Outcome in Elderly Patients With Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

Mats Johansson; Kristina Giuliana Cesarini, MD, PhD; Charles F. Contant, PhD; Lennart Persson, MD, PhD Per Enblad, MD, PhD

From the Department of Neuroscience, Section of Neurosurgery, Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden, and Department of Neurosurgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Tex (C.F.C.).

Correspondence to Per Enblad, MD, PhD, Department of Neuroscience, Section of Neurosurgery, Uppsala University Hospital, S-751 85 Uppsala, Sweden. E-mail Per.Enblad{at}neurokir.uu.se

Background and Purpose— The elderly constitute a significant and increasing proportion of the population. The aim of this investigation was to study time trends in clinical management and outcome in elderly patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Methods— Two hundred eighty-one patients 65 years of age with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage who were accepted for treatment at the Uppsala University Hospital neurosurgery clinic during 1981 to 1998 were included. Hunt and Hess grades on admission, specific management components, and clinical outcomes were recorded. Three periods were compared: A, 1981 to 1986 (before neurointensive care); B, 1987 to 1992; and C, 1993 to 1998.

Results— The volume of elderly patients (65 years of age) increased with time, especially patients 70 years of age. Furthermore the proportion of patients with more severe clinical conditions increased. A greater proportion of patients had a favorable outcome (A, 45%; B, 61%; C, 58%) despite older ages and more severe neurological and clinical conditions. In period C, Hunt and Hess I to II patients had a favorable outcome in 85% of cases compared with 64% in period A. This was achieved without any increase in the number of severely disabled patients.

Conclusions— Elderly patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage can be treated successfully, and results are still improving. The introduction of neurointensive care may have contributed to the improved outcome without increasing the proportion of severely disabled patients. A defeatist attitude toward elderly patients with this otherwise devastating disease is not justified.

Key Words: aged • intracranial aneurysm • neuropsychological test • subarachnoid hemorrhage

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