QUALITY-OF-LIFE AND COGNITIVE DEFICITS AFTER SUBARACHNOID HEMORRHAGE

In a retrospective study of 58 patients after subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) with a late result either good (GOS = I) or fair (GOS = II), pa tients were examined 1-5 years after the acute event for their quality of life including a neuropsychological examination. Cognitive deficit s were found in visual short-term memory (46%) and in the three parame ters of a reaction-time task ranging from 31 to 65%. Further deficits were found in verbal long-term memory (28%), concentration (5-13%) and language (11%). The quality of life was reduced in the SAH patients a ccording to a self-rating scale in motivation (50%), interests (47%), mental capacity (47%), free-time activities (52%), social relationship s (39%), concentration (70%), fine motor co-ordination (25%) and sleep (47%). A further 77% of the patients reported more frequent headaches since their SAH. Depression was found in 30% of the SAH patients. Lif e-satisfaction was significantly reduced in 37%, whereas 48% of the SA H patients suffered from increased emotional lability and in 41% motiv ation was significantly reduced. Negative job consequences like loss o f job or demotion were reported by 16% of the patients investigated an d an additional 15% had been retired.