Background: The aim of the current study was to assess the occurrence of infection and its impact on the short- and long-term outcome of patients with supratentorial intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH).
Methods: 247 patients suffering from supratentorial ICH were extracted from our local stroke database. Complete data sets including long-term functional outcome measured by the modified Rankin Scale (mRS), and baseline computed tomography data could be obtained in 113. The charts of these patients were screened for the presence and cause of infection, and baseline and maximal C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were recorded.
Results: We identified 52 patients (50.5%) with infection during their hospital stay. Patients with infection, had significantly larger hemorrhages (28.7 vs. 11.9 ml; p = 0.002), a poorer admission status (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, NIHSS, score 14 vs. 6; p = 0.002) and more frequently intraventricular hemorrhage extension (46.2 vs. 23.5%; p = 0.016) than those without infection. In a multivariate logistic regression model, baseline NIHSS score (odds ratio, OR, 1.2, 95% confidence interval, CI, 1.1-1.31, p < 0.001), age (OR 1.1, 95% CI 1.03-1.16, p = 0.002) and maximal CRP levels (OR 1.72, 95% CI 1.12-2.64, p = 0.013) were independent predictors of poor long-term functional outcome (mRS >2).
Conclusion: Infections were frequent complications in our cohort of ICH patients and occurred significantly more often in patients with poor functional outcome. Maximal CRP levels were an independent predictor of poor outcome in a multivariate model.