High risk clinical characteristics for subarachnoid haemorrhage in patients with acute headache: prospective cohort study.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To identify high risk clinical characteristics for subarachnoid haemorrhage in neurologically intact patients with headache.

Design

Multicentre prospective cohort study over five years.

Setting

Six university affiliated tertiary care teaching hospitals in Canada. Data collected from November 2000 until November 2005.

Participants

Neurologically intact adults with a non-traumatic headache peaking within an hour.

Main outcome measures

Subarachnoid haemorrhage, as defined by any of subarachnoid haemorrhage on computed tomography of the head, xanthochromia in the cerebrospinal fluid, or red blood cells in the final sample of cerebrospinal fluid with positive results on angiography. Physicians completed data collection forms before investigations.

SUBMITTER: Perry JJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2966872 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature