Continuous lumbar drainage after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage decreased malondialdehyde in cerebrospinal fluid and improved outcome

Purpose: The use of a continuous lumbar drain (LD) for the treatment of aneurysmal subarach-noid hemorrhage (aSAH), and malondialdehyde (MDA), a marker of oxidative stress, is corre-lated with clinical outcome. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between LD placement and MDA level after aSAH. Methods: Patients with modified Fisher's grade III and IV aSAH who underwent early aneurysm obliteration were enrolled. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was obtained on day 7 after aSAH in non-LD group. In LD group, the LD was inserted on day 3 after aSAH for continuous CSF drainage. The levels of intrathecal hemoglobin, total bilirubin, ferritin, and MDA were measured.Results: There were 41 patients in non-LD group (age: 58.7 +/- 13.7 years; female: 61.0%) and 48 patients in LD group (age: 58.3 +/- 10.4 years; female: 79.2%). There were more favorable outcomes (Glasgow Outcome Scale >4) at 3 months after aSAH in LD group (p = 0.0042). The intrathecal hemoglobin, total bilirubin, ferritin, and MDA levels at day 7 after aSAH were all significantly lower in LD group. An older age (>60 years) (p = 0.0293), higher MDA level in the CSF (p = 0.0208), and delayed ischemic neurological deficit (p = 0.0451) were indepen-dent factors associated with unfavorable outcomes. LD placement was associated with a decreased intrathecal MDA level on day 7 after aSAH (p < 0.001).Conclusion: The intrathecal MDA level at day 7 after aSAH can be an effective outcome indi-cator in modified Fisher's grade III/IV aSAH. Continuous CSF drainage via a LD can decrease the intrathecal MDA level and improve the functional outcome.Copyright 2022, Formosan Medical Association. Published by Elsevier Taiwan LLC. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Automated summary

The study investigated the relationship between continuous lumbar drain (LD) placement and malondialdehyde (MDA) level after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). The results showed that LD placement can decrease the intrathecal MDA level and improve the prognosis of patients.