Insular damage, new‐onset atrial fibrillation and outcome after acute intracerebral hemorrhage

Background and purpose Cortical insular damage is associated with cardiac arrhythmias and an increased risk of death. We investigated the influence of insular damage on the outcome of patients with acute intracerebral hemorrhage as well as the frequency and predictors of new‐onset atrial fibrillation (nAF). Methods We studied consecutive patients with intracerebral hemorrhage from 2013 to 2016. We identified those patients who underwent continuous electrocardiographic monitoring (≥24 h), known atrial fibrillation and recent ischemic stroke. We prospectively collected demographic data, vascular risk factors, neurological severity, vital signs, radiological data, nAF and mortality at 3 months. Bivariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed. Results We evaluated 347 patients whose mean age was 73.5 ± 14.0 years (50.7% of them were men). We selected 183 patients to study the frequency and risk factors of nAF (mean age, 69.1 ± 14.7 years; 52.5% of them were men). We observed that 11/183 (6.0%) had nAF. Insular damage [odds ratio (OR), 7.6; 95% confidence interval (CI), 2.1–27.7] was associated with nAF. A total of 138/347 patients died within the first 3 months and insular damage was detected in 99/347 of them. Predictors of death were age (OR, 1.07; 95% CI, 1.04–1.10), blood glucose (OR, 1.00 per mg/dL;, 95% CI, 1.00–1.01), Glasgow Coma Scale score (OR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.77–0.92), hematoma volume (OR, 1.02 per mL; 95% CI, 1.01–1.04), intraventricular hemorrhage (OR, 1.93; 95% CI, 1.03–3.64) and insular damage (OR, 3.98; 95% CI, 2.00–7.90). Conclusions The frequency of nAF in our patients was 6.0%. Insular damage was a risk factor for nAF and an independent predictor of death at 3 months. Click here to view the accompanying paper in this volume.