Reduced ipsilateral hemispheric cerebral blood flow at admission is predictive of vasospasm with infarction after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage

Background and Purpose Cerebral vasospasm (CV) with infarction causes a significant degree of morbidity and mortality after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). We sought to determine if reduced cerebral blood flow (CBF) on Xenon CT within 48 h of the ictus was predictive of developing CV with infarction. Methods This is a prospective study from 1999 to 2006 of 97 patients with aSAH who underwent Xenon CT within 48 h of their bleed. Demographic, clinical, radiographic, and angiographic parameters were investigated as potential risk factors for the development of CV with infarction. A binary logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the independent predictors of this endpoint. Results A total of 97 patients with a mean age of 54 +/- 12 years were studied. A total of 78 (80.4%) patients presented with a Fisher grade of 3 and 51 (52.6%) patients with a Hunt Hess score >= 3. CV with infarction was found in 33 (34%) patients. In univariate modeling, younger patients with a Fisher scale of 3 or a reduced ipsilateral mean hemispheric CBF had an association with developing CV with infarction. In binary logistic regression modeling, patients with lower initial hemispheric CBF's were at a significant risk of CV with infarction in the ipsilateral hemisphere. Conclusions Lower initial CBF at presentation is a risk factor for developing CV with infarction. These findings may help in early prediction of this entity and may have therapeutic implications in the future.