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Mark DG, Horton BH, Reed ME. Shifts in Diagnostic Testing for Headache in the Emergency Department, 2015 to 2021. JAMA Netw Open 2024; 7:e247373. [PMID: 38639937 PMCID: PMC11031686 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.7373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Importance Subarachnoid hemorrhage is typically diagnosed by noncontrast head computed tomography (CT); lumbar puncture is recommended if computed tomography is nondiagnostic, although CT cerebral angiography has been promoted as an alternative to lumbar puncture in this diagnostic pathway. The outcomes of this debate in practice have not been studied. Objective To determine whether CT cerebral angiography use has increased in lieu of lumbar puncture among emergency department (ED) patients with headache, with an increase in unruptured intracranial aneurysm detection. Design, Setting, and Participants This retrospective cohort study took place in 21 community EDs of an integrated health care system in Northern California between 2015 and 2021. Participants were adult (aged >17 years) health plan members with a chief concern of headache. Exclusions were prior diagnoses of subarachnoid hemorrhage, unruptured intracranial aneurysm, cerebral arteriovenous malformation, or cerebrospinal fluid shunt. Data were analyzed from October to November 2023. Exposures CT cerebral angiography and/or lumbar puncture during the ED encounter. Main Outcomes and Measures Primary and secondary outcomes were 14-day and 90-day unruptured intracranial aneurysm detection, respectively. Safety outcomes were missed diagnoses of subarachnoid hemorrhage or bacterial meningitis. The annual incidence of unruptured intracranial aneurysm detection was normalized to the incidence of subarachnoid hemorrhage (UIA:SAH ratio). Average annualized percentage changes were quantified using joinpoint regression analysis. Results Among 198 109 included ED encounters, the mean (SD) age was 47.5 (18.4) years; 140 001 patients (70.7%) were female; 29 035 (14.7%) were Black or African American, 59 896 (30.2%) were Hispanic or Latino, and 75 602 (38.2%) were White. Per year, CT cerebral angiography use increased (18.8%; 95% CI, 17.7% to 20.3%) and lumbar punctures decreased (-11.1%; 95% CI, -12.0% to -10.4%), with a corresponding increase in the 14-day UIA:SAH ratio (3.5%; 95% CI, 0.9% to 7.4%). Overall, computed tomography cerebral angiography use increased 6-fold relative to lumbar puncture, with a 33% increase in the detection of UIA. Results were similar at 90 days and robust to sensitivity analyses. Subarachnoid hemorrhage (1004 cases) and bacterial meningitis (118 cases) were misdiagnosed in 5% and 18% of cases, respectively, with no annual trends (P = .34; z1003 = .95 and P = .74; z117 = -.34, respectively). Conclusions and Relevance In this cohort study of ED patients with headache, increases in CT cerebral angiography use were associated with fewer lumbar punctures and higher detection of unruptured intracranial aneurysms, with no significant change in missed diagnoses of subarachnoid hemorrhage or bacterial meningitis. While this shift in diagnostic strategy appeared safe in the short-term, the long-term consequences remain unclear.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dustin G. Mark
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Kaiser Permanente Medical Center, Oakland, California
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Kaiser Permanente Medical Center, Oakland, California
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland
| | - Brandon H. Horton
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland
| | - Mary E. Reed
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland
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Cody R, Mohsenifard M, Yip G, Aldridge E, Bridge F, Datta M, Guy S, Jordan P, Kyndt C, Newnham E, Ng M, Paul E, Roodenburg O, Senanayake C, Sparham S, Steele M, Dewey H. Worth the risk? Contemporary indications, yield and complications of lumbar punctures in a metropolitan Australian health service. Intern Med J 2023; 53:1332-1338. [PMID: 35353444 DOI: 10.1111/imj.15761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Revised: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Performing lumbar punctures carries a risk of harm to the patient, but the information cerebrospinal fluid provides often makes this procedure necessary. Clinicians in the Australian setting would benefit from having more information on these procedures, in order to help them in a risk versus benefit analysis. AIMS To describe the contemporary indications, cerebrospinal fluid findings and complications of lumbar punctures in a metropolitan Australian health service. METHODS Retrospective electronic medical records audit of lumbar punctures performed on 525 adults within three acute hospitals between 1 July 2018 and 30 June 2019. Main outcome measures include frequency of indication for lumbar puncture by category, normal versus abnormal cerebrospinal fluid for each category, and frequency, severity and type of complications of lumbar punctures. RESULTS Of 525 adult lumbar punctures that were assessed in this study, 466 were performed for a diagnostic indication. The most common diagnostic indications were acute severe headache (156 procedures; 33.5%) and encephalopathy (128 procedures; 27.5%). The yield of abnormal results varied by indication category, with the above indications yielding abnormal results in 85 (54.5%) and 72 (56.3%) cases respectively. A complication was recorded in 54 (10.3% of total) procedures. The majority (45; 8.6%) of complications were minor in severity and most frequently consisted of post-dural puncture headache (PDPH). CONCLUSIONS In the era of an increased reliance on high quality neuroimaging, lumbar puncture has a high diagnostic yield with a low rate of major complications. The most common complication is PDPH, which is mild and self-limiting in most cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ross Cody
- Department of Neurology, Eastern Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Mahsa Mohsenifard
- Department of Neurology, Eastern Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Gary Yip
- Department of Neurology, Eastern Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Emogene Aldridge
- Department of Emergency Services, Eastern Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Francesca Bridge
- Department of Neurology, Eastern Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Mineesh Datta
- Department of Medical Imaging, Eastern Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Stephen Guy
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Eastern Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Peter Jordan
- Department of Emergency Services, Eastern Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Chris Kyndt
- Department of Neurology, Eastern Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Evan Newnham
- Department of Acute Medicine, Eastern Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Mark Ng
- Department of Anaesthetics, Eastern Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Elizabeth Paul
- Department of Clinical Governance, Quality Planning and Innovation, Eastern Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Owen Roodenburg
- Department of Intensive Care Services, Eastern Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Channa Senanayake
- Department of Neurology, Eastern Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sarah Sparham
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Eastern Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Michelle Steele
- Department of Clinical Governance, Quality Planning and Innovation, Eastern Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Helen Dewey
- Department of Neurology, Eastern Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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Kevci R, Lewén A, Ronne-Engström E, Velle F, Enblad P, Svedung Wettervik T. Lumbar puncture-verified subarachnoid hemorrhage: bleeding sources, need of radiological examination, and functional recovery. Acta Neurochir (Wien) 2023:10.1007/s00701-023-05640-4. [PMID: 37227503 DOI: 10.1007/s00701-023-05640-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The primary aim was to determine the diagnostic yield of vascular work-up, the clinical course during neurointensive care (NIC), and rate of functional recovery for patients with computed tomography (CT)-negative, lumbar puncture (LP)-verified SAH. METHODS In this retrospective study, 1280 patients with spontaneous SAH, treated at our NIC unit, Uppsala University Hospital, Sweden, between 2008 and 2018, were included. Demography, admission status, radiological examinations (CT angiography (CTA) and digital subtraction angiography (DSA)), treatments, and functional outcome (GOS-E) at 12 months were evaluated. RESULTS Eighty (6%) out of 1280 SAH patients were computed tomography (CT)-negative, LP-verified cases. Time between ictus and diagnosis was longer for the LP-verified SAH cohort in comparison to the CT-positive patients (median 3 vs 0 days, p < 0.001). One fifth of the LP-verified SAH patients exhibited an underlying vascular pathology (aneurysm/AVM), which was significantly less common than for the CT-verified SAH cohort (19% vs. 76%, p < 0.001). The CTA- and DSA-findings were consistent in all of the LP-verified cases. The LP-verified SAH patients exhibited a lower rate of delayed ischemic neurological deficits, but no difference in rebleeding rate, compared to the CT-verified cohort. At 1-year post-ictus, 89% of the LP-verified SAH patients had recovered favorably, but 45% of the cases did not reach good recovery. Having an underlying vascular pathology and an external ventricular drainage were associated with worse functional recovery (p = 0.02) in this cohort. CONCLUSIONS LP-verified SAH constituted a small proportion of the entire SAH population. Having an underlying vascular pathology was less frequent in this cohort, but still occurred in one out of five patients. Despite the small initial bleeding in the LP-verified cohort, many of these patients did not reach good recovery at 1 year, this calls for more attentive follow-up and rehabilitation in this cohort.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rozerin Kevci
- Department of Medical Sciences, Section of Neurosurgery, Uppsala University, SE-751 85, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Anders Lewén
- Department of Medical Sciences, Section of Neurosurgery, Uppsala University, SE-751 85, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Elisabeth Ronne-Engström
- Department of Medical Sciences, Section of Neurosurgery, Uppsala University, SE-751 85, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Fartein Velle
- Department of Medical Sciences, Section of Neurosurgery, Uppsala University, SE-751 85, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Per Enblad
- Department of Medical Sciences, Section of Neurosurgery, Uppsala University, SE-751 85, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Teodor Svedung Wettervik
- Department of Medical Sciences, Section of Neurosurgery, Uppsala University, SE-751 85, Uppsala, Sweden.
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China M, Matloob SA, Grieve JP, Toma AK. The value of repeated lumbar puncture to test for xanthochromia, in patients with clinical suspicion of subarachnoid haemorrhage, with CT-negative and initial traumatic tap. Br J Neurosurg 2021; 35:476-479. [PMID: 33527849 DOI: 10.1080/02688697.2021.1875398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES For the diagnosis of subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH), the presence of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) xanthochromia is still considered the gold standard for patients with a thunderclap headache, in the absence of blood on brain CT scan. However, a traumatic lumbar puncture (LP) typically results in high concentrations of oxyhaemoglobin in CSF, impairing the detection of xanthochromia and preventing the reliable exclusion of SAH. In this context, the value of a repeat lumbar puncture has not yet been described. MATERIALS AND METHODS A retrospective case series of suspected SAH patients, with a negative CT scan and initial traumatic LP, managed with a repeat LP to assess for CSF xanthochromia. Clinical notes, laboratory and imaging results were reviewed. RESULTS Between August 2011 and January 2020, 31 patients with suspected SAH were referred to our neurosurgical unit following negative CT and traumatic LP. A repeat LP was performed in 7 of the 31 patients, 2.4 days (±0.79 SD) after the first traumatic LP. CSF spectrophotometry analysis from repeated LP in all 7 patients was negative for xanthochromia. No adverse clinical events were recorded on average 18 months following discharge. CONCLUSION A repeat LP performed following a traumatic tap can still yield xanthochromia-negative CSF, thereby, excluding SAH, avoiding unnecessary invasive angiography and overall promoting the safer management of these patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Musa China
- Department of Medicine, University College London (UCL) Medical School, London, UK
| | - Samir A Matloob
- Victor Horsley Department of Neurosurgery, The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, UK
| | - Joan P Grieve
- Victor Horsley Department of Neurosurgery, The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, UK
| | - Ahmed K Toma
- Victor Horsley Department of Neurosurgery, The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, UK
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Kameda-Smith M, Aref M, Jung Y, Ghayur H, Farrokhyar F. Determining the Diagnostic Utility of Lumbar Punctures in Computed Tomography Negative Suspected Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. World Neurosurg 2020; 148:e27-e34. [PMID: 33285333 DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2020.11.152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Revised: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 11/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND While headache is a common neurologic symptom, subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is a rare and potentially catastrophic cause of sudden-onset severe headache. The utility of the imaging modalities and interventional procedures are central to the investigation of the causes of headache; however, they are not without their limitations, risks, and complications. METHODS A meta-analysis in accordance with the Preferred Reporting for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis guidelines was conducted searching PubMed, EMBASE, and Google Scholar. Patients investigated for suspected subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) with a negative computed tomography (CT) and positive lumbar puncture (LP) and final diagnosis of SAH were included. The sensitivity of LP in the context of a negative CT and vsubsequent imaging confirming the cause of SAH (computed tomography angiography, magnetic resonance angiography, digital subtraction angiography [DSA]) was quantified. The pooled data were analyzed using the DerSimonian-Laid random effects model. RESULTS Four studies with 2782 patients who presented with headache suspicious for SAH were included with an initial negative CT report and a subsequent LP to rule out SAH. All included studies had an observational prospective cohort design. A combined pooled proportion of 0.383 (0.077, 0.756); 0.086 (0.007, 0.238); and 0.22 (0.04, 0.49) for LP+, DSA+, and DSA/computed tomography angiography+ investigations were estimated with a 95% confidence interval. CONCLUSIONS The current clinical workflow of an LP after a negative CT head for a patient presenting with a sudden-onset severe headache is observed to have a high enough proportion to warrant its continued use despite the sensitivity of modern CT scanners of ≥97%.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Kameda-Smith
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Mohammed Aref
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Youngkyung Jung
- Faculty of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Huphy Ghayur
- Health Research Methodology Program, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Forough Farrokhyar
- Department of Surgery, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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Lansley J, Selai C, Krishnan AS, Lobotesis K, Jäger HR. Subarachnoid haemorrhage guidelines and clinical practice: a cross-sectional study of emergency department consultants' and neurospecialists' views and risk tolerances. BMJ Open 2016; 6:e012357. [PMID: 27633640 PMCID: PMC5030580 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2016-012357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To establish if emergency medicine and neuroscience specialist consultants have different risk tolerances for investigation of suspected spontaneous subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH), and to establish if their risk-benefit appraisals concur with current guidelines. SETTING 4 major neuroscience centres in London. PARTICIPANTS 58 consultants in emergency medicine and neuroscience specialities (neurology, neurosurgery and neuroradiology) participated in an anonymous survey. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES The primary outcome measure was the highest stated acceptable risk of missing SAH in the neurologically intact patient presenting with sudden onset headache. Secondary outcome measures included agreement with guideline recommendations, risk/benefit appraisal and required performance of diagnostic tests, including lumbar puncture. RESULTS Emergency department clinicians accepted almost 3 times the risk of a missed SAH diagnosis compared with the neuroscience specialists (2.8% vs 1.1%; p=0.02), were more likely to accept a higher risk of missed diagnosis for the benefit of a non-invasive test (p=0.04) and were more likely to disagree with current published guidelines stipulating the need for LP in all CT-negative cases (p=0.001). CONCLUSIONS Divergence from recognised procedures for SAH investigation is often criticised and attributed to a lack of knowledge of guidelines. This study indicates that divergence from guidelines may be explained by alternative risk-benefit appraisals made by doctors with their patients. Guideline recommendations may gain wider acceptance if they accommodate the requirements of the doctors and patients using them. Further study of clinical risk tolerance may help explain patterns of diagnostic test use and other variations in healthcare delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Lansley
- UCL Institute of Neurology, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London, UK
- Barts Health NHS Trust, London, UK
| | - C Selai
- Education Unit, UCL Institute of Neurology, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London, UK
| | | | | | - H R Jäger
- Neuroradiological Academic Unit, Department of Brain Repair and Rehabilitation, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, UK
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Mark DG, Sonne DC, Jun P, Schwartz DT, Kene MV, Vinson DR, Ballard DW. False-negative Interpretations of Cranial Computed Tomography in Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage. Acad Emerg Med 2016; 23:591-8. [PMID: 26918885 DOI: 10.1111/acem.12941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2015] [Revised: 01/20/2016] [Accepted: 02/12/2016] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Prior studies examining the sensitivity of cranial computed tomography (CT) for the detection of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) have used the final radiology report as the reference standard. However, optimal sensitivity may have been underestimated due to misinterpretation of reportedly normal cranial CTs. This study aims to estimate the incidence of missed CT evidence of SAH among a cohort of patients with aneurysmal SAH (aSAH). METHODS We performed a retrospective chart review of emergency department (ED) encounters within an integrated health delivery system between January 2007 and June 2013 to identify patients diagnosed with aSAH. All initial noncontrast CTs from aSAH cases diagnosed by lumbar puncture (LP) and angiography following a reportedly normal noncontrast cranial CT (CT-negative aSAH) were then reviewed in a blinded, independent fashion by two board-certified neuroradiologists to assess for missed evidence of SAH. Reviewers rated the CT studies as having definite evidence of SAH, probable evidence of SAH, or no evidence of SAH. Control patients who underwent a negative evaluation for aSAH based on cranial CT and LP results were also included at random in the imaging review cohort. RESULTS A total of 452 cases of aSAH were identified; 18 (4%) were cases of CT-negative aSAH. Of these, seven (39%) underwent cranial CT within 6 hours of headache onset, and two (11%) had their initial CTs formally interpreted by board-certified neuroradiologists. Blinded independent CT review revealed concordant agreement for either definite or probable evidence of SAH in nine of 18 (50%) cases overall and in five of the seven (71%) CTs performed within 6 hours of headache onset. Inter-rater agreement was 83% for definite SAH and 72% for either probable or definite SAH. CONCLUSIONS CT evidence of SAH was frequently present but unrecognized according to the final radiology report in cases of presumed CT-negative aSAH. This finding may help explain some of the discordance between prior studies examining the sensitivity of cranial CT for SAH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dustin G. Mark
- Departments of Emergency Medicine and Critical Care; Kaiser Permanente; Oakland CA
| | | | - Peter Jun
- Department of Radiology; Kaiser Permanente; Santa Clara CA
| | - David T. Schwartz
- Department of Emergency Medicine; New York University School of Medicine; New York NY
| | - Mamata V. Kene
- Department of Emergency Medicine; Kaiser Permanente; San Leandro CA
| | - David R. Vinson
- Department of Emergency Medicine; Kaiser Permanente; Roseville CA
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Sayer D, Bloom B, Fernando K, Jones S, Benton S, Dev S, Deverapalli S, Harris T. An Observational Study of 2,248 Patients Presenting With Headache, Suggestive of Subarachnoid Hemorrhage, Who Received Lumbar Punctures Following Normal Computed Tomography of the Head. Acad Emerg Med 2015; 22:1267-73. [PMID: 26480290 DOI: 10.1111/acem.12811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2015] [Revised: 04/21/2015] [Accepted: 06/14/2015] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The objective was to determine the incidence of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) diagnosed by lumbar puncture (LP) when the head computed tomography (CT) was reported as demonstrating no subarachnoid blood. METHODS Data were obtained on patients who received LP to diagnose or exclude SAH attending six hospitals over 5 years. Subsequent investigations and outcomes were reviewed in all patients with LPs that did not exclude SAH. RESULTS A total of 2,248 patients were included. A total of 1,898 LPs were suitable for biochemical analysis, of which 92 (4.8%) were positive for blood, suggesting SAH; 1,507 (79.4%) were negative; and 299 (15.6%) were inconclusive. Of the 92 patients with positive cerebrospinal fluid analysis, eight patients (0.4%) had aneurysms on further imaging, and one had a carotid cavernous fistula. CONCLUSIONS In patients presenting to the emergency department with acute severe headache, LP to diagnose or exclude SAH after negative head CT has a very low diagnostic yield, due to low prevalence of the disease and uninterpretable or inconclusive samples. A clinical decision rule may improve diagnostic yield by selecting patients requiring further evaluation with LP following nondiagnostic or normal noncontrast CT brain imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Sayer
- Department of Neurosurgery; Queen's Hospital; Barking, Havering and Redbridge NHS Trust; Romford Essex
| | - Ben Bloom
- Department of Emergency Medicine; Bart's Health NHS Trust; London UK
| | - Katalin Fernando
- Department of Emergency Medicine; St. Thomas Hospital; London UK
| | - Stuart Jones
- Department of Pathology; Queen's Hospital; Barking, Havering and Redbridge NHS Trust; Romford Essex
| | - Sally Benton
- Department of Biochemistry; Royal London Hospital; London UK
| | - Shumontha Dev
- Department of Emergency Medicine; St. Thomas Hospital; London UK
| | | | - Tim Harris
- Department of Emergency Medicine; Bart's Health NHS Trust; London UK
- Department of Emergency Medicine; Queen Mary University of London; London UK
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Martin SCG, Teo MKCH, Young AMH, Godber IM, Mandalia SS, St George EJ, McGregor C. Defending a traditional practice in the modern era: The use of lumbar puncture in the investigation of subarachnoid haemorrhage. Br J Neurosurg 2015; 29:799-803. [PMID: 26373397 DOI: 10.3109/02688697.2015.1084998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Acute severe headache is a common medical presentation, and a common area of diagnostic uncertainty. Subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) is the cause in a minority of patients and has a high rate of morbidity and mortality. Therefore, its conclusive diagnosis with computed tomography (CT) or lumbar puncture (LP) is paramount. With advancement in imaging technology, emerging evidence now suggests that LP is no longer required for a subset of patients as CT has 100% sensitivity in detecting SAH, when performed under specific conditions. OBJECTIVES To assess the proportion of patients with conclusive CSF xanthochromia results following a negative CT scan in suspected SAH to determine the diagnostic efficacy of LP. METHODS CSF bilirubin and oxyhaemoglobin spectrophotometric absorbance data from all centres in a regional health board were identified for consecutive patients over a 6-month period. Results were stratified as conclusive (positive or negative), or inconclusive according to national guidelines. RESULTS 239 of 255 (93.7%) results were conclusive: 89.0% were negative (227 of 255). 4.7% of results were positive (12 of 255), revealing 4 cerebral aneurysms requiring treatment. 16 out of 255 (6.3%) samples were inconclusive, yielding 1 aneurysm requiring treatment. In the same period, there were 27 CT-positive cases of SAH. CONCLUSIONS LP has a high diagnostic yield, eliminating the need for neurosurgical opinion or investigation in almost 90% of cases. The test is both cost and time efficient and subjects only a small number of patients to the radiation and contrast risks of angiography.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean C G Martin
- a Department of Acute Medicine , Wishaw General Hospital , Wishaw , UK.,b Department of Neurosurgery , Institute of Neurological Science , Glasgow , UK.,d Emergency Department, John Radcliffe Hospital , Oxford , UK
| | - Mario K C H Teo
- b Department of Neurosurgery , Institute of Neurological Science , Glasgow , UK
| | - Adam M H Young
- b Department of Neurosurgery , Institute of Neurological Science , Glasgow , UK
| | - Ian M Godber
- c Department of Clinical Biochemistry , Monklands Hospital , Airdrie , UK
| | | | - Edward J St George
- b Department of Neurosurgery , Institute of Neurological Science , Glasgow , UK
| | - Calum McGregor
- a Department of Acute Medicine , Wishaw General Hospital , Wishaw , UK
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Chu K, Hann A, Greenslade J, Williams J, Brown A. Spectrophotometry or Visual Inspection to Most Reliably Detect Xanthochromia in Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: Systematic Review. Ann Emerg Med 2014; 64:256-264.e5. [DOI: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2014.01.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2013] [Revised: 12/16/2013] [Accepted: 01/24/2014] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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