Sex differences in delayed cerebral ischemia after subarachnoid hemorrhage

Menno R. Germans*, Blessing N.R. Jaja, Airton Leonardo De Oliviera Manoel, Ashley H. Cohen, R. Loch Macdonald, Walter Van Den Bergh, Nima Etminan, Daniel Hanggi, David Hasan, S. Claiborne Johnston, Peter Kirkpatrick, Peter Le Roux, Stephan Mayer, Andrew Molyneux, Adam Noble, John Pickard, Audrey Quinn, Karl Schaller, Thomas Schenk, Tom SchweizerJulian Spears, Michael Todd, James Torner, Ming Yuan Tseng, Mervyn Vergouwen, George Wong,

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

OBJECTIVE In this study the authors sought to investigate the sex differences in the risk of delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI), delayed cerebral infarction, and the role of hormonal status. METHODS Ten studies included in the SAHIT (SAH International Trialists) repository were analyzed using a fitting logistic regression model. Heterogeneity between the studies was tested using I2 statistics, and the results were pooled using a random-effects model. Multivariable analysis was adjusted for the effects of neurological status and fixed effect of study. An additional model was examined in which women and men were split into groups according to an age cut point of 55 years, as a surrogate to define hormonal status. RESULTS A pooled cohort of 6713 patients was analyzed. The risk of DCI was statistically significantly higher in women than in men (OR 1.29, 95% CI 1.12-1.48); no difference was found with respect to cerebral infarction (OR 1.17, 95% CI 0.98-1.40). No difference was found in the risk of DCI when comparing women ≤ 55 and > 55 years (OR 0.87, 95% CI 0.74-1.02; p = 0.08) or when comparing men ≤ 55 and > 55 years (p = 0.38). Independent predictors of DCI were World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies (WFNS) grade, Fisher grade, age, and sex. Independent predictors of infarction included WFNS grade, Fisher grade, and aneurysm size. CONCLUSIONS Female sex is associated with a higher risk of DCI. Sex differences may play a role in the pathogenesis of DCI but are not associated with menopausal status. The predictors of DCI and cerebral infarction were identified in a very large cohort and reflect experience from multiple institutions.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)458-464
Number of pages7
JournalJournal of Neurosurgery
Volume129
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Aug 2018

Keywords

  • Brain ischemia
  • Cohort study
  • Delayed cerebral ischemia
  • Risk factor in epidemiology
  • Sex
  • Subarachnoid hemorrhage
  • Vascular disorders

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