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Ruptured, Unruptured Cerebral Aneurysms Compared

J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis; ePub 2017 Jun 13; Miller, et al

The observed annual rate of rupture of small anterior circulation aneurysms in a recent study of a poor urban minority population was .06%-.15%. A retrospective study was performed between 2005 and 2011 in order to simultaneously estimate the prevalence of aneurysms in a single geographic population while reporting the observed rate of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) in the same geographic region composed of a poor urban minority demographic. Part 1 used electronic medical records to identify all patients with a magnetic resonance angiography demonstrating a cerebral aneurysm. Part 2 identified all patients from the same geographic area presenting with aSAH. A total of 11,160 subjects had a magnetic resonance angiography from the study area. Researchers found:

  • In this group, 422 intradural cerebral aneurysms were incidentally discovered; 91% were <10 mm (mean 5.49, standard deviation 4.6).
  • 21% were aneurysms of the anterior communicating artery complex.
  • 14% were of posterior communicating artery origin.
  • A total of 237 patients had aSAH; 92% of the aneurysms were <10 mm (mean 6 mm, standard deviation 3.2 mm).

Citation:

Miller TS, Altschul D, Baxi N, et al. Comparison of the prevalence of ruptured and unruptured cerebral aneurysms in a poor urban minority population. [Published online ahead of print June 13, 2017]. J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis. doi:10.1016/j.jstrokecerebrovasdis.2017.05.012.