Abstract TP425: Clinical and Radiological Spectrum of Nontraumatic Cortical Subarachnoid Hemorrhages : A Consecutive Series of 62 Patients

Abstract

Non-traumatic cortical subarachnoid hemorrhage (cSAH) is an unusual location of SAH not related to aneurysmal rupture. Several causes have been described in small cohorts. We report the characteristics and the follow-up of a large cohort of such patients. Methods: During 4 years, consecutive patients admitted in our institution with a cSAH revealed by neurological symptoms were included in a registry. Retrospective review of medical records, neuroimaging studies, and follow-up data was performed. Results: Sixty two patients (37 women; mean age ± SD : 66 ± 14 years) were included. The main clinical presentation was a transient deficit in 50 % of cases. Headache was present in only 39 % of cases. Cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) accounted for 50 % of cases. The main other etiologies were reversible vasoconstriction syndrome (13 %), endocarditis (11 %), severe intracranial or cervical arterial stenoses (8 %) and cerebral venous thrombosis (5 %). Patients with CAA were older (p < 0.001) and suffered essentially from transient deficit (80 vs 18 %; p < 0.001) without headache (18 % vs 58 %; p = 0.002). Cortical hemosiderosis on MRI was strongly associated with CAA (77 % vs 0 %; p < 0.001). Follow up data were available in 55 patients (28 with CAA). Forty eight patients underwent an imaging follow up (25 with CAA). Recurrent hemorrhages (cSAH or hematoma) occurred in 52 % of CAA cases against 12 % in other origins (p = 0.01). Conclusions: Our data show that CCA is clearly the main etiology of cSAH with a specific pattern associating transient neurological deficit without headache and cortical hemosiderosis on MRI. Many origins can be found in younger patients to whom the diagnosis is guided by imaging findings and clinical background. The risk of recurrence is high in CAA contrary to other etiologies.