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Abstract Background and purpose Seizures commonly occur in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Anticonvulsants are commonly used for preventing seizures in patients with ICH. Thus, patients with ICH at high risk of seizures must be identified. The study aims to elucidate whether double the score of cortex involvement in ICH patients can increase accuracy of CAVE score for predicting late seizures. Method This retrospective analysis of the medical records of surviving patients admitted between June 1, 2013, and December 31, 2019. Validated the CAVE score and modified it (CAVE2). The main outcome of patients with ICH was seizures. The first seizures occurring within 7 days after a stroke were defined as early seizures. Seizures occurring after 1 week of stroke onset, including patients who had experienced early seizures or patients who had not, were defined as late seizures. CAVE and CAVE2 scores were validated using the cohort. The accuracy and discrimination of those two scores were accessed by the area under the operating characteristic curve. Akaike information criterion, integrated discrimination improvement, and continuous net reclassification improvement were used to assess the performance of the CAVE and CAVE2 scores. Results In the cohort showed that late seizures occurred in 12.7% (52/408) of patients with ICH. Male sex, age > 65 years, cortex involvement, and early seizures were associated with the occurrence of late seizures, with odds ratios of 2.09, 2.04, 4.12, and 3.78, respectively. The risk rate of late seizures was 6.66% (17/255), 14.8% (17/115), and 47.4% (18/38) for CAVE scores ≤ 1, 2, and ≥ 3, and 4.6% (12/258), 18.3% (13/71), and 54.4 (20/37) for CAVE2 scores ≤ 1, 2, and ≥ 3 respectively. The C-statistics for the CAVE and CAVE2 scores were 0.73 and 0.74 respectively. Conclusion The CAVE score can identify patients with ICH and high risk for late seizures. The CAVE can be modified by changing the score of cortex involvement to 2 points to improve accuracy in predicting late seizures in patients with ICH.

Abstract Background The risk factors for seizures in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) stroke and the effect of seizure prevention by anticonvulsant are not well understood. Limited studies have investigated the risk of seizure after discontinuing antiepileptic drugs in patients with ICH. This study aimed to investigate the role of valproic acid (VA) for seizure prevention and to access the risk of seizure after anticonvulsant withdrawal in patients with spontaneous ICH. Methods Between 2013 and 2015, 177 patients with ICH were enrolled in this 3-year retrospective study. Seizures were classified as early seizure (first seizure within 1 week of ICH), delayed seizure (first seizure after 1 week), and late seizure (any seizure after 1 week). Binary logistic regression was used to evaluate the relationship between baseline clinical factors and late seizures between study periods. VA was prescribed or discontinued based on the decision of the physician in charge. Results Seizures occurred in 24 patients, including early seizure in 6.78% (12/177) of the patients, delayed seizure in 7.27% (12/165) of the patients without early seizure, and late seizure in 9.60% (17/177) of the patients. Most seizures occurred within the first year. Binary logistic regression analysis showed ICH with cortex involvement as the independent risk factor for seizures. VA did not decrease the risk of seizures. Patients with ICH with cortical involvement using anticonvulsants for longer than 3 months did not have a decreased risk of seizures (odds ratio 1.86, 95% CI: 0.43–8.05). Conclusions Spontaneous ICH with cortex involvement is the risk factor for seizure. Most seizures occurred within 1 year after stroke onset over a 3-year follow up. Discontinuation of antiepileptic drug within 3 months in patients does not increase the risk of seizure.