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C-reactive protein as predictor for poor outcome after aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage

  • Clinical Article
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Abstract

Background

Aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) is a severe disease with high case-fatality and morbidity rates. After SAH, the value of C-reactive protein (CRP)—an acute phase sensitive inflammatory marker—as a prognostic factor has been poorly studied, with conflicting results. In this prospective study, we tested whether increased CRP levels increase independently the risk for cerebral infarct and poor outcome.

Methods

Previous diseases as well as clinical, laboratory and radiological variables were recorded for 178 patients with SAH admitted within 48 h and with aneurysms occluded within 60 h after bleeding. Plasma CRP was measured, as well as computed tomography (CT) scans routinely obtained on admission, in the morning after aneurysm occlusion, and at discharge during second week after SAH. Factors predicting occurrence of cerebral infarct and poor outcome at 3 months after SAH were tested with multiple logistic regression.

Results

CRP levels increased significantly (p < 0.001) between hospital admission (mean ± SD, 11.4 ± 21.3 mg/l) and the postoperative morning (27.0 ± 31.0 mg/l) and then decreased (p < 0.001) during the the second week (19.8 ± 25.0 mg/l). Admission (18.0 ± 35.7 vs 8.5 ± 8.4 mg/l) and postoperative (41.0 ± 40.2 vs 21.1 ± 24.1 mg/l) CRP levels were higher (p < 0.001) in those with a poor outcome than in those with a favourable outcome, but CRP values did not predict delayed cerebral ischaemia or cerebral infarction. CRP levels did not independently predict outcome, since these correlated with admission clinical grade and occurrence of intraventricular haemorrhage. Higher increase in CRP level between admission and postoperative morning, however, independently predicted poor outcome (p = 0.004). Part of this increased risk was likely due to an appearance of early postoperative cerebral infarction.

Conclusions

CRP levels correlate with outcome but do not seem to predict delayed cerebral ischaemia or infarction after SAH.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported in part by research grants from the Paavo Nurmi Foundation, the Maire Taponen Foundation and the Paulo Foundation.

Conflicts of interest

None.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland

    Seppo Juvela

  2. Department of Surgery, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland

    Seppo Juvela

  3. Department of Neurosurgery, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland

    Johanna Kuhmonen

  4. Department of Neurosurgery, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland

    Jari Siironen

  5. Mäkkylänmutka 5 A 2, FI-02650, Espoo, Finland

    Seppo Juvela

Authors
  1. Seppo Juvela
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  2. Johanna Kuhmonen
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  3. Jari Siironen
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Correspondence to Seppo Juvela.

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Juvela, S., Kuhmonen, J. & Siironen, J. C-reactive protein as predictor for poor outcome after aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage. Acta Neurochir 154, 397–404 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00701-011-1243-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00701-011-1243-7

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