The efficacy of Atorvastatin in reducing recurrence of chronic subdural hematoma after single burr hole drainage and irrigation

Abstract

Objective To investigate the efficacy of Atorvastatin in reducing the recurrence rate of chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) after single burr hole drainage and irrigation. Methods Between January 2000 and May 2005 and between January 2013 and December 2015, 122 patients with CSDH admitted to the Neurosurgery Department, Lanzhou General Hospital were treated with single burr hole drainage and irrigation under local anesthesia.All patients were classified into two groups.Patients in the treatment group (n=67) took Atorvastatin after operation and those in the control group (n=55) did not take Atorvastatin.Patient demographics, clinical characteristics, imaging data, Markwalder's Grading Scale (MGS) and recurrence rates were assessed. Results Preoperative clinical characteristics and MGS levels at discharge were similar between the two groups (all P>0.05). The recovery rate of CSDH was 98.5% in the treatment group, without recurrence or death.The recovery rate of CSDH was 96.4% in the control group, with four cases of relapse, making up a recurrence rate of 7.3% (4/55). As a result, the recurrence rates were statistically significantly different between the two groups (χ2=5.038, P=0.039). Conclusions Atorvastatin can significantly reduce the recurrence rate of CSDH after single burr hole drainage and irrigation. Key words: Atorvastatin; Hematoma, subdural; Recurrence; Drainage