Temporal Evolution and Outcomes of Non-Traumatic Intracerebral Hemorrhage in Hospitalized Patients

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the radiographic features, temporal evolution, and outcome of patients who develop non-traumatic intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) while hospitalized for other causes. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed consecutive Emergency Department ICH (ED-ICH) and in-hospital ICH (IH-ICH) over an 8-year period. Variables including demographics, medical history, lab values, lead time to diagnosis, defined as time from last known well to first CT scan, and clinical characteristics, follow-up CT scan, as well as the frequency of withdrawal of life support were compared in the two groups. Mortality in correlation with ICH score was assessed. RESULTS: Sixty-One IH-ICH and 216 ED-ICH patients were compared. History of cardiac disease, cancer, coagulopathy and higher SOFA score at time of diagnosis were significantly higher in the IH-ICH group (all P< 0.01). Time from symptom onset to diagnosis was shorter in the IH-ICH group (median 95 versus 117 minutes, P=0.011). Thirty six percent of IH-ICH fell into a worse ICH category when recalculated 6 hours from initial scan time, compared to only 10% of the ED-ICH. ICH score was well calibrated in ED-ICH when assessed both at diagnosis and 6 hours later, but underestimated actual mortality in the IH-ICH, particularly at ICH scores 0 to 3. End of life measures were pursued in 69% of IH-ICH group compared to 19% in the ED-ICH group. CONCLUSIONS: IH-ICH, is associated with higher overall mortality rates and often times heralds withdrawal of life sustaining therapies in patients. In addition, IH-ICH in comparison to ED-ICH, significantly changes in severity metrics within the first 6 hours. ICH score is not accurate and not calibrated to reflect reasonable stratification of mortality in IH-ICH. Prospective validation and investigation of variables accounting for higher IH-ICH mortality are needed.