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Background and Purpose— We analyzed the impact of long-term endovascularly based prophylactic normothermia versus conventional temperature management on inflammatory parameters in patients with severe cerebrovascular disease. Methods— This was a prospective, randomized, controlled trial comparing the course of inflammatory parameters between the 2 treatment arms: (1) prophylactically endovascular long-term normothermia; and (2) conventional, stepwise fever management with antiinflammatory drugs and surface cooling. Inclusion criteria were (1) spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage with Hunt–Hess grade between 3 and 5; (2) spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage with a Glasgow Coma Scale score of ≤10; or (3) complicated cerebral infarction requiring intensive care unit treatment with a NIH Stroke Scale score of ≥15. Treatment period was 336 hours in subarachnoid hemorrhage patients and 168 hours in patients with complicated stroke or intracerebral hemorrhage patients. Results— A total of 102 patients (56 female) were enrolled during a 3.5-year period. Overall median total fever burden during the course of treatment was 0.0°C hour and 4.3°C hours in the catheter and conventional group, respectively ( P P P Conclusions— The proinflammatory cytokines C-reactive protein and interleukin-6 were significantly elevated in patients receiving prophylactic endovascularly based long-term normothermia. Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs significantly affected the course of proinflammatory parameters; thus, future trials should investigate the role of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs in severe cerebrovascular disease patients and their interaction with temperature management. Clinical Trial Registration— Trial not registered; enrollment began before July 2005.

Background and Purpose— Spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) still has a high risk for poor outcome that is frequently attributable to symptomatic cerebral vasospasm (CVS). We hypothesize that cellular microparticles (MP) play a role in the pathogenesis of CVS and may serve as biomarkers for CVS. Methods— In 20 consecutive SAH patients, endothelial, leukocyte, platelet, and erythrocyte MP were measured during 15 days after ictus. CVS was detected by transcranial Doppler sonography. Twenty matched volunteers served as healthy controls. Results— Endothelial, leukocyte, and erythrocyte MP were elevated in SAH patients compared to healthy controls. CD105 + and CD62e + endothelial MP were significantly higher in SAH patients with Doppler sonographic CVS. CD105 + endothelial MP were especially increased on the days of Doppler sonographic CVS onset. In patients experiencing cerebral infarction attributable to vasospasm, CD41 + platelet MP were elevated in addition to endothelial MP. CD41 + platelet MP were significantly higher in patients with any level of disability (modified Rankin Scale score ≥1) compared to those who made a full recovery (modified Rankin Scale score=0) on discharge from hospital. Conclusion— Endothelial MP were elevated in patients with SAH. This elevation coincided with the occurrence of Doppler sonographic CVS and therefore could be a novel biomarker for CVS. Platelet MP might be involved in the pathogenesis of cerebral infarction attributable to vasospasm, resulting in neurological morbidity.

Background and Purpose— We sought to study the effectiveness and safety of endovascular cooling to maintain prophylactic normothermia in comparison with standardized, stepwise, escalating fever management to reduce fever burden in patients with severe cerebrovascular disease. Methods— This study was a prospective, randomized, controlled trial with a blinded neurologic outcome evaluation comparison between prophylactic, catheter-based normothermia (CoolGard; ie, body core temperature 36.5°C) and conventional, stepwise fever management with anti-inflammatory drugs and surface cooling. Patients admitted to 1 of the 2 neurointensive care units were eligible for study inclusion when they had a (1) spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage with Hunt & Hess grade between 3 and 5, (2) spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage with a Glasgow Coma Scale score ≤10, or (3) complicated cerebral infarction requiring intensive care unit treatment with a National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score ≥15. Results— A total of 102 patients (56 female) were enrolled during a 3.5-year period. Fifty percent had a spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage, 40% had a spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage, and 10% had a complicated cerebral infarction. Overall median total fever burden during the course of treatment was 0.0°C hour and 4.3°C hours in the catheter and conventional groups, respectively ( P Conclusions— Long-term, catheter-based, prophylactic normothermia significantly reduces fever burden in neurointensive care unit patients with severe cerebrovascular disease and is not associated with increased major adverse events.