Does nimodipine influence sex difference in outcome after aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage?

Abstract

Before nimodipine was introduced as a standard treatment in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) females had a significantly poorer outcome which might be due to a higher frequency of delayed cerebral ischaemia (DCI). We evaluated the overall outcome with regard to gender in 188 consecutive patients with a verified ruptured intracranial aneurysm treated with nimodipine. The only significant differences concerning prognostic factors between the sexes were a higher frequency of SAH at the primary CT in female (p < 0.05) and a higher frequency of middle cerebral artery aneurysms in females (p < 0.01). These factors affect the outcome in females unfavourably. However, contrary to previous studies, we found no difference in overall outcome after three months between the sexes in this clinical material. Our observation can be explained by a positive effect of nimodipine on DCI.

• Authors: J Hauerberg, J Rosenørn, E B Skriver
• Journal: Acta neurochirurgica (Acta Neurochir (Wien)) Vol. 138 Issue 10 Pg. 1168-71 ( 1996) ISSN: 0001-6268 [Print] Austria
• PMID: 8955435 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Calcium Channel Blockers
• Nimodipine

Topics

• Administration, Oral
• Adolescent
• Adult
• Aged
• Aneurysm, Ruptured (diagnosis, drug therapy, mortality)
• Brain Damage, Chronic (diagnosis, mortality)
• Brain Ischemia (diagnosis, drug therapy, mortality)
• Calcium Channel Blockers (adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Female
• Humans
• Infusions, Intravenous
• Intracranial Aneurysm (diagnosis, drug therapy, mortality)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Nimodipine (adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Sex Factors
• Subarachnoid Hemorrhage (diagnosis, drug therapy, mortality)
• Survival Rate
• Treatment Outcome