View clinical trials related to Subarachnoid Hemorrhage.
Filter by:The purpose of this study is to determine if giving blood transfusions to anemic patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage will reduce their chances of having a stroke from vasospasm.
Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is a devastating acute brain injury due to bleeding onto the brain surface from a ruptured aneurysm. Cerebral vasospasm (cVSP; critical narrowing of brain arteries) is a known complication after SAH and significantly increases disability and death after SAH. Vasospasm is difficult to treat and can lead to stroke. Animal studies have shown that the muscles in the artery wall play a role in cVSP. Dantrolene has been FDA approved and extensively used in clinical practice as a muscle relaxant for more than 30 years. It has been shown to provide some benefit in animal studies of cVSP, as well as in a small number of humans. Therefore, we plan to undertake this study to evaluate the safety and tolerability of treatment with dantrolene in patients with cVSP after SAH, and to determine the maximal tolerated dose to be used in future studies to determine if treatment with Dantrolene can improve the outcome of patients with cVSP after SAH.
Introduction: Almost 50% of patients die after aneurismal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). 30% of the survivors suffer from neurological handicap and need permanent care (Suarez et al.). Even when neurological outcome is good, neuropsychological deficits are frequently observed (Ogden et al., Anderson et al.) The incidence rate of aSAH is almost 8 of 100.000 per year. Due to similar clinical symptoms to patients with hypopituitarism, several studies have analyzed the incidence of hypopituitarism after aSAH. Dysfunction of the anterior pituitary gland was found in up to 47% (Schneider et al.). GH deficiency was demonstrated in almost every fourth patient and an association with poor recovery was postulated. In Germany, the investigators would therefore expect as many as 1200 patients with incident GH deficiency. The KIMS-study is an observational GH-treatment study in adult onset growth hormone deficiency. Within the epidemiological data of KIMS, aSAH is not known as a relevant contributing cause (Brabant et al.). This resembles much of the investigators clinical experience that there is no huge prevalence of hypopituitarism after aSAH. Objective: Evaluation of the frequency of hypopituitarism and neuropsychological dysfunction of any degree in patients with aSAH in a prospective approach. Methods: The investigators conduct a prospective study for the evaluation of endocrine deficiency with aSAH. The investigators study patients 3, 6 and 12 month after aneurismal bleeding. Patients diagnosed with aSAH with a clinical grade of I-IV according to Hunt and Hess are included in the study. The investigators perform basal testing for the pituitary by measuring: TSH, LH, FSH, IGF-1, GH, prolactin and ACTH. For evaluation of the adrenal function the investigators perform an ACTH-stimulation test (Lindholm et al.). Subjects with evidence for adrenal or GH insufficiency are further analyzed by insulin-induced hypoglycemia testing (GH Research Society). In the neuropsychological examination, the investigators screen for verbal comprehension (Token Test, short form) and visual neglect (line bisection). Verbal and visual short term memory (digit and spatial span), visuospatial construction and figural memory (Rey Osterrieth Complex Figure Test), psychomotor speed, attention and concentration (Trail Making Test Part A and B, d2) as well as mental flexibility (word fluency) are assessed. Patients additionally fill out a questionnaire measuring actual depressive symptoms and anxiety (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale).
Cerebral vasospasm is a devastating complication of subarachnoid hemorrhage after cerebral aneurysm rupture leading to cerebral ischemia and potentially cerebral infarction. The current gold standard diagnostic imaging study for cerebral vasospasm is catheter cerebral angiography, an invasive diagnostic procedure carrying a complication rate of 1-2% per procedure. Computed tomographic perfusion imaging (CTP) and computed tomographic angiography (CTA) are noninvasive diagnostic imaging studies frequently utilized in the evaluation of embolic and thrombotic cerebral infarct. The investigators hypothesize that CTP and CTA may be utilized as screening tools for cerebral vasospasm following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage requiring treatment and provide prognostic information.
Systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) is characterized by changes in body temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate, or peripheral blood white cell count, and is often a heralding manifestation of blood infection (ie., sepsis or bloodstream infection). SIRS however can occur as a result of a stroke without sepsis. When SIRS occurs after stroke, patients are subjected to blood cultures and tests to exclude sepsis, and are often empirically treated with antibiotics potentially leading to a serious gastrointestinal infection called C. difficile enterocolitis, and bacterial antibiotic resistance. Development of a blood test that could provide sufficient sensitivity to exclude blood infection in stroke would therefore prevent numerous tests, cultures, antibiotics, and costs. In recent years, there has been increasing evidence that procalcitonin (PCT) may serve as diagnostic marker to distinguish between infectious and non-infectious SIRS. The investigators hypothesize that PCT can differentiate SIRS after stroke into patients with infection and those without infection. Such screening tests would provide crucial information to clinicians that could improve patient care by reducing the number of tests and antibiotics used, as well as antibiotic-related infections, bacterial resistance and hospital costs. Hypothesis: The investigators hypothesize that PCT can be used to define normal (SIRS without infection) and abnormal values SIRS with infection (i.e., blood, lung, urinary, spinal fluid) in a population of patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Specific Aim 1.) To establish normal values of PCT in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage and SIRS. Specific Aim 2.) Derive the sensitivity and positive predictive value of abnormal PCT values in patients with aneurysmal SAH, SIRS with true systemic infection.
When fever is present in patients with stroke, traumatic brain injury (TBI), or brain hemorrhage, it has been associated with worse outcomes including larger areas of tissue death, increased length of stay, worse degree of coma, lower ability to function, and higher mortality. Both adult and pediatric TBI national guidelines state that maintenance of normal body temperature should be a standard of care. However, no further standards or options are presented to specifically guide practice. The current ischemic stroke guidelines state that fever should be treated with fever-reducing agents and offer "cooling devices" as an option but do not provide specifics to guide practice. Over 50% of patients in the Neurosurgical Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Harborview Medical Center develop fever during the course of their stay. With elevated temperatures the body consumes more oxygen than if the temperature was normal, causing less oxygen to be available to the brain. This may lead to injury of the brain cells and a diminished capacity for healing. Thus, temperature management in neurologically vulnerable patients is both a prevalent and problematic challenge. Based on this information the goal of the present proposal is to evaluate if 1) A standardized, step-wise approach to temperature management using a Normothermia Protocol is successful in achieving and maintaining normal temperature in Neurosurgical ICU patients; and 2) If maintenance of normal temperature will be associated with fewer episodes of diminished responsiveness in their neurological exams as evidenced by a measure of depth of coma, as measured by the Glasgow Coma Score (GCS) compared to a control group treated according to usual care.
The purpose of the study is to examine the safety of a 14 day infusion of sodium nitrite, and to study the pharmacokinetics of nitrite, during a 14 day infusion in patients with ruptured cerebral aneurysms.
Subarachnoid haemorrhage affects approximately 8000 people per year in the UK. The average age of a patient with subarachnoid haemorrhage is 50 years, although it is often seen in younger people (25-45 years). Despite modern medicine, the death and disability rate remains high both from the initial bleed and from the associated complications such as vasospasm. This is characterised by neurological impairment seen following the bleed. Despite modern treatment this is still associated with a poor outcome. This has significant implications due to the long term intensive neuro-rehabilitation these patients will require. A recent study has shown that placing a small drain in the lower back following a subarachnoid haemorrhage may reduce the chance of vasospasm occurring and result in a better outcome. This trial was not optimally performed and so a trial is needed to look at this in more detail. The investigators have set up such a trial in our neurosurgical unit. If the investigators confirm that there is an improvement in patient outcome, it will change our practice in the future.
Cerebral vasospasm following subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is the most common cause of morbidity and mortality. Recent studies indicate that Rho-kinase play an important role in the occurrence of such cerebral vasospasm. Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) inhibits sphingosylphosphorylcholine (SPC)-induced Rho-kinase activation in vitro. So this study examines whether EPA prevents cerebral vasospasm occurrence after SAH in patients.
Recent study has shown that inhalatory sedation is a practicable, effective and not risky method in Intensive Care Unit. Sevoflurane effect on cerebral system have been described in previous studies: it causes an increasing of cerebral blood flow and a decrease of oxygen cerebral consumption. Clinical strategy for Subarachnoid Hemorrhage is orientated to increase cerebral blood flow to limit vasospasm phenomena after SAH. Scope of this study is to evaluate the Cerebral Blood Flow variation associated to Isoflurane sedation versus conventional sedation with propofol .