Long-Term Global and Focal Cerebral Atrophy in Perimesencephalic Subarachnoid Hemorrhage—a Case–Control Study

Purpose: Non-aneurysmal perimesencephalic subarachnoid hemorrhage (PmSAH) represents 6.8% of spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage, and usually has a benign clinical course. However, patients might have early cerebral ischemic lesions and long-term neurocognitive complaints. Cerebral atrophy has been described in patients after aneurysmal SAH, but not in PmSAH. We aimed to investigate if PmSAH associates with increased brain volume loss. Methods: In this prospective study, we included consecutive patients with PmSAH that performed MR in the first 10 days after hemorrhage, and follow-up MR 6-7 years later. Automated volumetric measurements of intracranial, white matter, gray matter, whole brain, lateral ventricles, hippocampus, and amygdala volumes were performed. Volumes were compared to a normal population, matched for age. Results: Eight patients with PmSAH were included, with a mean age of 51.5 (SE 3.6) at baseline. The control group included 22 patients with a mean age of 56.3 (SE 2.0). A relative reduction of all volumes was found in both groups; however, PmSAH patients had significant reductions in intracranial, white and gray matter, whole brain, and hippocampal volumes when compared to controls. These changes had a higher magnitude in whole brain volume, with a significant absolute decrease of 6.5% in PmSAH patients (versus 1.9% in controls), and a trend for an increase in lateral ventricle volume (absolute 21.3% increase, versus 3.9% in controls). Conclusion: Our cohort of PmSAH patients showed significant long-term parenchymal atrophy, and higher global and focal parenchymal volume loss rates when compared to a non-SAH population.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Global patient outcomes after elective surgery: prospective cohort study in 27 low-, middle- and high-income countries.

BACKGROUND: As global initiatives increase patient access to surgical treatments, there remains a need to understand the adverse effects of surgery and define appropriate levels of perioperative care. METHODS: We designed a prospective international 7-day cohort study of outcomes following elective adult inpatient surgery in 27 countries. The primary outcome was in-hospital complications. Secondary outcomes were death following a complication (failure to rescue) and death in hospital. Process measures were admission to critical care immediately after surgery or to treat a complication and duration of hospital stay. A single definition of critical care was used for all countries. RESULTS: A total of 474 hospitals in 19 high-, 7 middle- and 1 low-income country were included in the primary analysis. Data included 44 814 patients with a median hospital stay of 4 (range 2-7) days. A total of 7508 patients (16.8%) developed one or more postoperative complication and 207 died (0.5%). The overall mortality among patients who developed complications was 2.8%. Mortality following complications ranged from 2.4% for pulmonary embolism to 43.9% for cardiac arrest. A total of 4360 (9.7%) patients were admitted to a critical care unit as routine immediately after surgery, of whom 2198 (50.4%) developed a complication, with 105 (2.4%) deaths. A total of 1233 patients (16.4%) were admitted to a critical care unit to treat complications, with 119 (9.7%) deaths. Despite lower baseline risk, outcomes were similar in low- and middle-income compared with high-income countries. CONCLUSIONS: Poor patient outcomes are common after inpatient surgery. Global initiatives to increase access to surgical treatments should also address the need for safe perioperative care. STUDY REGISTRATION: ISRCTN5181700