Skip to main content
Log in

Long-term prognosis of subarachnoid hemorrhages of unknown etiology

  • Original Investigations
  • Published:
Journal of Neurology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

Forty-nine patients who suffered a spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), and in whom panangiography did not show the cause of the bleeding, were evaluated after a long follow-up (median 8 years). No relationship was found between outcome and antifibrinolytic treatment or blood pressure level. Angiography was repeated in cases with spasm or after rebleeding: one aneurysm was found (7%). The authors suggest that angiography should be repeated in these circumstances. The early mortality was 2%. Late functional capacity was normal in 94% of the patients. No particular restrictions should therefore be recommended.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Andrioli GC, Salar G, Rigobello L (1979) Subarachnoid haemorrhage of unknown aetiology. Acta Neurochir (Wien) 48:217–221

    Google Scholar 

  2. Barraclough CR (1982) The incidence of radiologically demonstrable aneurysm and arteriovenous malformation in spontaneous subarachnoid haemorrhage. Postgrad Med J 58:74–76

    Google Scholar 

  3. Beguelin C, Seiler R (1983) Subarachnoid hemorrhage with normal cerebral panangiography. Neurosurgery 13:409–411

    Google Scholar 

  4. Burchiel KJ, Hoffman JM, Bakay RAE (1984) Quantitative determination of plasma fibrinolytic activity in patients with ruptured intracranial aneurysms who are receiving epsilon-aminocaproic acid: relationship of possible complications of therapy to the degree of fibrinolytic inhibition. Neurosurgery 14:57–63

    Google Scholar 

  5. Forster DMC, Steiner L, Hakanson S, Bergvall U (1978) The value of repeat pan-angiography in cases with unexplained subarachnoid hemorrhage. J Neurosurg 48:712–716

    Google Scholar 

  6. Hayward RD (1977) Subarachnoid haemorrhage of unknown aetiology. A clinical and radiological study of 51 cases. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 40:926–931

    Google Scholar 

  7. Hoffman EP, Koo AH (1979) Cerebral thrombosis associated with Amicar therapy. Radiology 131:687–689

    Google Scholar 

  8. Hunt WE, Hess RM (1968) Surgical risk as related to time of intervention in the repair of intracranial aneurysms. J Neurosurg 28:14–20

    Google Scholar 

  9. Kassel NF (1983) Comments. Neurosurgery 13:411

    Google Scholar 

  10. Kassel NF, Torner JC, Adams HP Jr (1984) Antifibrinolytic therapy in the acute period following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. Preliminary observations from the Cooperative Aneurysm Study. J Neurosurg 61:225–230

    Google Scholar 

  11. Locksley HB, Sahs AL, Sandler R (1966) Report on the Cooperative Study of Intracranial Aneurysms and Subarachnoid Hemorrhage, section III. Subarachnoid hemorrhage unrelated to intracranial aneurysm and A-V malformation. A study of associated diseases and prognosis. J Neurosurg 24:1034–1056

    Google Scholar 

  12. McKissock W, Richardson AE, Walsh L (1958) Primary intracerebral haemorrhage. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 21:239–248

    Google Scholar 

  13. Neumann J (1981) Clinical importance of vascular spasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage. In: Schiefer W, Klinger H, Brock M (eds) Advances in neurosurgery, vol 9. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 201–204

    Google Scholar 

  14. Schisano G (1978) The use of antifibrinolytic drugs in aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. Surg Neurol 10:217–222

    Google Scholar 

  15. Shephard RH (1984) Prognosis of spontaneous (non traumatic) subarachnoid haemorrhage of unknown cause. A personal series 1958–1980. Lancet 1:777–779

    Google Scholar 

  16. Standnes B, Heilo A (1980) Subarachnoid hemorrhage of unknown etiology. J Oslo City Hosp 30:151–152

    Google Scholar 

  17. Van Eskesen V, Sorensen EB, Rosenorn J, Schmidt K (1984) The prognosis in subarachnoid hemorrhage of unknown etiology. J Neurosurg 61:1029–1031

    Google Scholar 

  18. Vermeulen M, Lindsay KW, Murray GD, Cheah F, Hijdra A, Muizelaar JP, Schannong M, Teasdale GM, Van Crevel H, Van Gijn J (1984) Antifibrinolytic treatment in subarachnoid hemorrhage. N Engl J Med 311:432–437

    Google Scholar 

  19. West HH, Mani RL, Eisenberg RL, Tuerk K, Stucker TB (1977) Normal cerebral arteriography in patients with spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage. Neurology 27:592–594

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ruelle, A., Lasio, G., Boccardo, M. et al. Long-term prognosis of subarachnoid hemorrhages of unknown etiology. J Neurol 232, 277–279 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00313865

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00313865

Key words

Navigation