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Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text., Background and Purpose— We conducted a randomized, open-label, phase 1/2a, dose-escalation study of intraventricular sustained-release nimodipine (EG-1962) to determine safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and clinical effects in aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. Methods— Subjects with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage repaired by clipping or coiling were randomized to EG-1962 or enteral nimodipine. Subjects were World Federation of Neurological Surgeons grade 2 to 4 and had an external ventricular drain. Cohorts of 12 subjects received 100 to 1200 mg EG-1962 (9 per cohort) or enteral nimodipine (3 per cohort). The primary objective was to determine the maximum tolerated dose. Results— Fifty-four subjects in North America were randomized to EG-1962, and 18 subjects were randomized to enteral nimodipine. The maximum tolerated dose was 800 mg. One serious adverse event related to EG-1962 (400 mg) and 2 EG-1962 dose-limiting toxicities were without clinical sequelae. There was no EG-1962-related hypotension compared with 17% (3/18) with enteral nimodipine. Favorable outcome at 90 days on the extended Glasgow outcome scale occurred in 27/45 (60%, 95% confidence interval 46%–74%) EG-1962 subjects (5/9 with 100, 6/9 with 200, 7/9 with 400, 4/9 with 600, and 5/9 with 800 mg) and 5/18 (28%, 95% confidence interval 7%–48%, relative risk reduction of unfavorable outcome; 1.45, 95% confidence interval 1.04–2.03; P=0.027) enteral nimodipine subjects. EG-1962 reduced delayed cerebral ischemia (14/45 [31%] EG-1962 versus 11/18 [61%] enteral nimodipine) and rescue therapy (11/45 [24%] versus 10/18 [56%]). Conclusions— EG-1962 was safe and tolerable to 800 mg, and in this, aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage population was associated with reduced delayed cerebral ischemia and rescue therapy. Overall, the rate of favorable clinical outcome was greater in the EG-1962-treated group. Clinical Trial Registration— URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01893190.

Background and Purpose— To address the increasing need to counsel patients about treatment indications for unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIA), we endeavored to develop a consensus on assessment of UIAs among a group of specialists from diverse fields involved in research and treatment of UIAs. Methods— After composition of the research group, a Delphi consensus was initiated to identify and rate all features, which may be relevant to assess UIAs and their treatment by using ranking scales and analysis of inter-rater agreement (IRA) for each factor. IRA was categorized as very high, high, moderate, or low. Results— Ultimately, 39 specialists from 4 specialties agreed (high or very high IRAs) on the following key factors for or against UIA treatment decisions: (1) patient age, life expectancy, and comorbid diseases; (2) previous subarachnoid hemorrhage from a different aneurysm, family history for UIA or subarachnoid hemorrhage, nicotine use; (3) UIA size, location, and lobulation; (4) UIA growth or de novo formation on serial imaging; (5) clinical symptoms (cranial nerve deficit, mass effect, and thromboembolic events from UIAs); and (6) risk factors for UIA treatment (patient age and life expectancy, UIA size, and estimated risk of treatment). However, IRAs for features rated with low relevance were also generally low, which underlined the existing controversy about the natural history of UIAs. Conclusions— Our results highlight that neurovascular specialists currently consider many features as important when evaluating UIAs but also highlight that the appreciation of natural history of UIAs remains uncertain, even within a group of highly informed individuals.

Few treatments for aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) have been effective in randomized clinical studies. One reason may be that the outcome measures used are not sensitive enough to detect efficacy of treatments in this disease. This hypothesis was examined by comparing 6 outcome measures for 72 patients with aSAH. Patients with aSAH who were World Federation of Neurological Surgeons grades 2 to 4 with an external ventricular drain inserted as part of standard of care were entered in a Phase 1/2a multicenter, controlled, randomized, open-label, dose escalation study to determine the maximum tolerated dose and safety and tolerability of a sustained release formulation of nimodipine (EG-1962, NEWTON study) in patients with aSAH. Clinical outcome was assessed at 90 days after aSAH using the extended Glasgow outcome scale (eGOS), modified Rankin scale (mRS), Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA), telephone interview of cognitive status (TICS), NIHSS and Barthel index. The relationship between each outcome measure and the eGOS was plotted on arithmetic graphs (Figure). The eGOS and mRS gave very similar results. More detailed cognitive assessments (MoCA, TICS) were more exponential in shape with more variability. The NIHSS and Barthel had outcomes clustered towards the highest ends of the scales with distributions that did not discriminate as much as the eGOS or mRS. The MoCA and TICS gave similar results. It was concluded that the eGOS or mRS produce a similar and varying range of outcomes after aSAH, whereas cognitive assessments like the MoCA and TICS and scales designed for ischemic stroke like the NIHSS and BI are less discriminatory of outcomes after aSAH.

Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) is associated with high morbidity and mortality. EG-1962 is a sustained release formulation of nimodipine for intraventricular delivery into the subarachnoid space while avoiding dose-limiting hypotension common with systemic administration. We conducted a phase 1/2a multicenter, controlled, randomized, open label, dose escalation study to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and assess safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and clinical outcome at 90 days on the extended Glasgow outcome scale (GOSE) of a single intraventricular dose of EG-1962 (www.clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01893190). Subjects with aSAH repaired by clipping or coiling were randomized within 60 hours of aSAH to EG-1962 or oral nimodipine if they were World Federation of Neurological Surgeons grade 2 to 4 and had a ventricular catheter. Cohorts of 12 subjects received 100, 200, 400, 600, 800 or 1200 mg EG-1962 (9 per cohort) or oral nimodipine (3 per cohort). The MTD was 800 mg EG-1962. Plasma nimodipine concentrations after administration of EG-1962 were sustained for 21 days and increased in a dose-dependent fashion. Cerebrospinal fluid nimodipine concentrations with EG-1962 were orders of magnitude higher than in plasma and with oral nimodipine. There was one serious adverse event (possible allergic reaction) related to EG-1962 (400 mg) and two EG-1962 dose limiting toxicities (increased intracranial pressure, 400 and 800 mg); all were without clinical sequelae. There was no EG-1962-related hypotension as compared to hypotension in 17% (3/18) with oral nimodipine. Favorable outcome (GOSE 6-8) was achieved in 27 of 45 (60%) EG-1962 subjects (5 of 9 with 100, 6 of 9 with 200, 7 of 9 with 400, 4 of 9 with 600 and 5 of 9 with 800 mg) and 5 of 18 (28%) oral nimodipine subjects. Improved efficacy was supported by reduction in delayed cerebral ischemia (15/45 [33%] EG-1962 versus 11/18 [61%] oral nimodipine) and rescue therapy (11/45 [24%] versus 10/18 [56%]) in EG-1962 subjects. Intraventricular EG-1962 was safe and tolerable to 800 mg, associated with sustained and dose-dependent nimodipine plasma concentrations,improved clinical outcome and reduced delayed cerebral ischemia and use of rescue therapy after aSAH.

Background and Purpose— The chronological development and natural history of cerebral aneurysms (CAs) remain incompletely understood. We used 14 C birth dating of a main constituent of CAs, that is, collagen type I, as an indicator for biosynthesis and turnover of collagen in CAs in relation to human cerebral arteries to investigate this further. Methods— Forty-six ruptured and unruptured CA samples from 43 patients and 10 cadaveric human cerebral arteries were obtained. The age of collagen, extracted and purified from excised CAs, was estimated using 14 C birth dating and correlated with CA and patient characteristics, including the history of risk factors associated with atherosclerosis and potentially aneurysm growth and rupture. Results— Nearly all CA samples contained collagen type I, which was P =0.012). CAs and cerebral arteries did not share a dominant structural protein, such as collagen type I, which would allow comparison of their collagen turnover. Conclusions— The abundant amount of relatively young collagen type I in CAs suggests that there is an ongoing collagen remodeling in aneurysms, which is significantly more rapid in patients with risk factors. These findings challenge the concept that CAs are present for decades and that they undergo only sporadic episodes of structural change.

Background and Purpose— The goal of this randomized, open-label phase II study was to investigate the effect of concomitant low-frequency head-motion therapy and intraventricular fibrinolysis in patients after surgical or endovascular treatment for aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. Methods— Sixty patients experiencing subarachnoid hemorrhage were randomized into treatment with intraventricular application of recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator and lateral rotational therapy (experimental) or treatment as usual (control). The primary end point was defined as functional outcome, measured by Glasgow Outcome Scale at discharge and at 3-month follow-up. Clot clearance rate, radiographic features of delayed cerebral ischemia, and posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus were defined as secondary end points. Results— The majority of patients (78.3%) experienced severe subarachnoid hemorrhage. Although there was a higher incidence of subgaleal hematomas in the experimental group, there was no difference in the incidence of adverse or severe adverse events between the 2 groups. Despite significantly higher clot clearance rates, there was no beneficial effect on the incidence of delayed cerebral ischemia and poor functional outcome, as well as posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus after experimental treatment. Conclusions— Despite the ineffectiveness on reduction of delayed cerebral ischemia or poor functional outcome, intraventricular fibrinolysis and kinetic therapy seems to be a safe and effective concept for therapeutic reduction of subarachnoid clot in a patient collective experiencing predominately severe subarachnoid hemorrhage. Therefore, future studies should investigate this treatment in a larger patient collective with a lower degree of primary brain injury and until full clot clearance on serial imaging. Clinical Trial Registration— URL: http://www.controlled-trials.com . Unique identifier: ICRCTN13230264.

Background and Purpose— The aim of the present study was to investigate cerebral hemodynamics in patients requiring surgical treatment for lobar intracerebral hemorrhage. Methods— Twenty patients who underwent surgery to remove a lobar spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage were scanned before and after surgery using perfusion CT mapping. Mean transit time, time to peak of the residue function, cerebral blood volume, and cerebral blood flow were measured in 4 defined regions of interest. Results— Preoperatively, time to peak of the residue function, cerebral blood volume, and cerebral blood flow were significantly impaired in the perihemorrhagic zone as compared with the ipsilateral and contralateral hemisphere. Perihematomal perfusion improved significantly after clot evacuation and there was no difference in time to peak of the residue function, cerebral blood flow, and cerebral blood volume values between the perihemorrhagic zone and ipsilateral as well as contralateral hemisphere after surgical treatment. Conclusions— Our findings illustrate distinct perihemorrhagic perfusion impairments in a selected patient population with lobar intracerebral hemorrhage as evident by impaired time to peak of the residue function, cerebral blood flow, and cerebral blood volume and their improvement after early surgical treatment. Whether these early improvements in hemodynamic measurements may influence secondary neuronal injury and ultimately clinical outcome, as opposed to the natural course of spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage remains unclear.

Background and Purpose— A combined therapeutic approach has been advocated repeatedly for treatment of focal cerebral ischemia. A clinical example of combined therapy is administration of nimodipine, mannitol, dexamethasone, and barbiturates during temporary occlusion of a cerebral artery in neurovascular surgery. We have recently demonstrated outstanding neuroprotective properties of a combination therapy with magnesium (calcium antagonist and glutamate antagonist), tirilazad (antioxidant), and mild hypothermia (MTH). In this study we compared this treatment strategy with the customary treatment options in a rat model of transient focal cerebral ischemia. Methods— Sprague-Dawley rats (n=120) were subjected to 90 minutes of middle cerebral artery occlusion by an intraluminal filament (n=10 per group). In experiment 1, the customary treatment options (nimodipine, mannitol, dexamethasone, methohexital) were evaluated as monotherapy and in combination. In experiment 2, the customary and the new combination therapy (MTH) were compared. Mild hypothermia (33°C) was maintained for 2 hours. Neurological examinations were performed daily. Infarct size was assessed histologically after 7 days. Results— In experiment 1, infarct volume was attenuated by 34% at maximum, with mannitol and methohexital being the most effective drugs given as monotherapy. In experiment 2, combined administration of the customary treatment options had no additive effect (infarct volume −36%). Combination therapy with MTH reduced total infarction by 73% and almost completely abolished cortical infarction (−91%). None of the animals of this group had any residual neurological deficit at the end of the observation period ( P Conclusions— The efficacy of drugs (monotherapy or in combination) most commonly used for neuroprotection during neurovascular surgery is limited. The newly proposed combination therapy (magnesium, tirilazad, and mild hypothermia), which is based on pathophysiological considerations, seems to be a promising alternative for neuroprotection in cerebrovascular surgery.