Photo Credit: Tonpor Kasa

The following is a summary of “Ultraearly Intraventricular Hemorrhage Growth Predicts Early Neurologic Deterioration and Poor Functional Outcome After Acute Intracerebral Hemorrhage,” published in the October 2023 issue of Neurology by Lv et al.

The impact of the speed of intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) on outcomes in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) remains unclear. Researchers conducted a prospective study involving ICH patients who underwent computed tomography scans within six hours after onset between January 2016 and October 2021. Investigators compared clinical features between those with and without early neurologic deterioration (END). Ultraearly IVH growth (uIVHG) was defined as the initial IVH volume by onset-to-imaging time. 

Through multivariable logistic regression analysis, the study group observed that uIVHG (odds ratio, 1.061 [95% CI, 1.011–1.113]; P=0.016) was independently linked to END after adjusting for confounding factors. A predictive scoring system, the uIVH score, was devised based on age, hematoma volume, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, hematoma expansion, and uIVHG ≥2.5 mL/h. 

In comparison with existing scoring systems, such as the ICH score and modified Emergency Department ICH Scale, the uIVH score displayed superior performance in predicting END and poor functional outcomes in ICH patients. This suggests that ultra-early IVH growth is significantly associated with early neurologic deterioration and poor functional outcomes in individuals with ICH.

Source: ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/JAHA.123.031214