Background and purpose: The aim of this retrospective study was to determin
e in-hospital mortality and morbidity secondary to intracerebral hemorrhage
and to analyse variables considered to be significantly associated with su
rvival in these patients.
Patients and methods: The study cohort consisted of 135 consecutive patient
s with intracerebral hemorrhage, admitted to a large community hospital in
the urban area of Vienna. The diagnosis of intracerebral hemorrhage was est
ablished in all cases with axial computed tomography. The following variabl
es were analysed: age, sex, Glasgow coma score on admission, location of he
matomas, intraventricular hemorrhage, neurosurgical interventions and medic
al complications.
Results: Sixty-seven (49.6%) of the 135 patients died, 50 (37%) of them dur
ing the first 4 days after the acute event, 13 within the 1(st) week and 4
within one month. In a multivariate analysis the risk of death was signific
antly increased by the presence of intraventricular hemorrhage (p < 0.01),
a Glasgow coma score of 6 or less (p < 0.0001) and age greater than 60 year
s (p < 0.001). Gender, medical complications and surgical removal of hemorr
hage with or without additional ventriculostomy did not correlate significa
ntly with outcome while an infratentorial location of hematoma showed a tre
nd (p < 0.15) towards a higher mortality.
Conclusion: A Glasgow coma score of 6 or less on admission, age greater tha
n 60 years and the presence of intraventricular hemorrhage appear to be pre
dictors of mortality in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage.