Management outcome in the elderly patient following subarachnoid hemorrhage.

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the overall management outcome for elderly patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), especially for those aged 70 to 79 years, has improved. To this end, the author compared data for the period between 1986 and 1990 (Study Period 2) with those obtained between 1980 and 1985 (Study Period 1). Of 503 patients who were admitted by Day 3 after SAH during the two study periods, 243 (48%) were 59 years of age or younger, 129 (26%) were 60 to 69 years of age, 102 (20%) were 70 to 79 years of age, and 29 (6%) were 80 years of age or older. The percentage of patients aged 70 years or more doubled from 17% during Study Period 1 to 34% during Study Period 2. During Study Period 1, the older patients had a lower operability rate; during Study Period 2, the operability rate for patients aged 70 to 79 years (69%) was similar to that for patients aged 50 to 69 years. At 6 months after SAH for patients aged 70 to 79 years, the overall management and surgical results of good recovery or moderate disability were 18% and 36%, respectively, during Study Period 1, and improved to 41% and 60%, respectively, during Study Period 2. During Study Period 1, the cumulative 5-year survival probabilities for overall management were 58% for patients aged 59 years or less, 53% for those aged 60 to 69 years, and 24% for those aged 70 to 79 years; during Study Period 2, these probabilities improved to 70%, 58%, and 47%, respectively. The 5-year survival rates of surgically treated patients in these three age groups increased from 77%, 68%, and 44% to 88%, 77%, and 69%, respectively.