Risk of growth in unruptured intracranial aneurysms: a retrospective analysis.

This study sought to define the growth of unruptured intracranial aneurysms, in particular the frequency of growth and the characteristic factors predictive of growth. Two hundred and eight patients with 285 unruptured aneurysms were followed. Electronic records and angiographic films were obtained for measurements of aneurysm size. The mean follow-up duration was 21.8 months (range 1.1-137.3 months). Growth was identified in 95 of the 285 aneurysms (33.3%). The cumulative incidence of growth predicted using the Kaplan-Meier method was 22.7% at 1 year, 35.2% at 2 years, and 47.7% at 3 years. Aneurysm growth was significantly associated with a patient history of excessive alcohol consumption (p=0.04). A high incidence of growth can be seen in conservatively managed aneurysms with time. Consequently, continual follow-up is recommended to monitor for aneurysmal growth.