Background: Accurate longitudinal risk prediction for DCI (delayed cerebral ischemia) occurrence after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is essential for clinicians to administer appropriate and timely diagnostics, thereby improving treatment planning and outcome. This study aimed to develop an improved longitudinal DCI prediction model and evaluate its performance in predicting DCI between day 4 and 14 after aneurysm rupture.
Methods: Two DCI classification models were trained: (1) a static model based on routinely collected demographics and SAH grading scores and (2) a dynamic model based on results from laboratory and blood gas analysis anchored at the time of DCI.
Philips Visual Patient Avatar is an innovative approach to patient monitoring. Computer-based simulation studies have shown that it can improve diagnostic accuracy and confidence while reducing perceived workload. Following its integration into clinical practice, we conducted a single-centre qualitative study at the University Hospital Zurich to explore the views of anaesthesia, post-anaesthesia and intensive care providers on their experience with the technology.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Artificial intelligence (AI) holds immense potential for enhancing clinical and administrative health care tasks. However, slow adoption and implementation challenges highlight the need to consider how humans can effectively collaborate with AI within broader socio-technical systems in health care.
Objective: In the example of intensive care units (ICUs), we compare data scientists' and clinicians' assessments of the optimal utilization of human and AI capabilities by determining suitable levels of human-AI teaming for safely and meaningfully augmenting or automating 6 core tasks.
: Sex-related differences among patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) and their potential clinical implications have been insufficiently investigated. To address this knowledge gap, we conduct a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis. : Sex-specific differences in patients with aSAH, including mortality, delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI), and functional outcomes were assessed.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSpectrum power analysis in the low frequency oscillations (LFO) region of functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is a promising method to deliver information about brain activation and therefore might be used for prognostication in patients with disorders of consciousness in the neurocritical care unit alongside with established methods. In this study, we measure the cortical hemodynamic response measured by fNIRS in the LFO region following auditory and somatosensory stimulation in healthy subjects. The significant hemodynamic reaction in the contralateral hemisphere correlation with the physiologic electric response suggests neurovascular coupling.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Signal complexity (i.e. entropy) describes the level of order within a system.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDelayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) occurs in up to one third of patients suffering from aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). Untreated, it leads to secondary cerebral infarctions and is frequently associated with death or severe disability. After aneurysm rupture, erythrocytes in the subarachnoid space lyse and liberate free hemoglobin (Hb), a key driver for the development of DCI.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: Detection of delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) is challenging in comatose patients with poor-grade aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). Brain tissue oxygen pressure (PbtO2) monitoring may allow early detection of its occurrence. Recently, a probe for combined measurement of intracranial pressure (ICP) and intraparenchymal near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) has become available.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: In neurocritical care, data from multiple biosensors are continuously measured, but only sporadically acknowledged by the attending physicians. In contrast, machine learning (ML) tools can analyze large amounts of data continuously, taking advantage of underlying information. However, the performance of such ML-based solutions is limited by different factors, for example, by patient motion, manipulation, or, as in the case of external ventricular drains (EVDs), the drainage of CSF to control intracranial pressure (ICP).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: New onset refractory status epilepticus (NORSE) is a neurologic emergency without an immediately identifiable cause. The complicated and long ICU stay of the patients can lead to perceiving a prolongation of therapies as futile. However, a recovery is possible even in severe cases.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Patients with hemorrhagic stroke and an external ventricular drain in situ are at risk for ventriculostomy-related-infections (VRI). Because of the contamination of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) with blood and the high frequency of false negative CSF culture, the diagnosis of VRI remains challenging. This study investigated the introduction of CSF broad range eubacterial polymerase chain reaction (ePCR) and its effect on frequency and duration of antibiotic therapy for VRI, neurocritical care unit (NCCU) length of stay, related costs, and outcome.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: The reason for a rebleed after an initial hemorrhage in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) is considered multifactorial. Antiplatelet use is one of the factors that has been related to early rebleed and worse outcome after aSAH. Thrombocyte transfusion overcomes the inhibitory effects of antiplatelet agents by increasing the number of functional thrombocytes, but its impact on the rebleed rate and clinical outcome remains unknown.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: Cerebrospinal fluid hemoglobin has been positioned as a potential biomarker and drug target for aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage-related secondary brain injury (SAH-SBI). The maximum amount of hemoglobin, which may be released into the cerebrospinal fluid, is defined by the initial subarachnoid hematoma volume (ISHV). In patients without external ventricular or lumbar drain, there remains an unmet clinical need to predict the risk for SAH-SBI.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMost cases with new onset refractory status epilepticus (NORSE) remain cryptogenic despite extensive diagnostic workup. The aim of this study was to analyze the etiology and clinical features of NORSE and investigate known or potentially novel autoantibodies in cryptogenic NORSE (cNORSE). We retrospectively assessed the medical records of adults with status epilepticus at a Swiss tertiary referral center between 2010 and 2021.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Intracranial pressure (ICP) is a vital parameter that is continuously monitored in patients with severe brain injury and imminent intracranial hypertension.
Objective: To estimate intracranial pressure without intracranial probes based on transcutaneous near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS).
Methods: We developed machine learning based approaches for noninvasive intracranial pressure (ICP) estimation using signals from transcutaneous near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) as well as other cardiovascular and artificial ventilation parameters.
In patients with myocardial infarction, atypical symptoms at onset have been demonstrated in women. We aimed to investigate the presence of sex-related differences in symptom presentation in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) to enable earlier diagnosis and treatment. We assessed symptoms on admission to hospital in 343 patients with aSAH in this retrospective single-center cohort-study.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Extracerebral complications in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) often occur during their stay at the neurocritical care unit (NCCU). Their influence on outcomes is poorly studied. The identification of sex-specific extracerebral complications in patients with aSAH and their impact on outcomes might aid more personalized monitoring and therapy strategies, aiming to improve outcomes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFExplainable artificial intelligence (XAI) has emerged as a promising solution for addressing the implementation challenges of AI/ML in healthcare. However, little is known about how developers and clinicians interpret XAI and what conflicting goals and requirements they may have. This paper presents the findings of a longitudinal multi-method study involving 112 developers and clinicians co-designing an XAI solution for a clinical decision support system.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: Acute hydrocephalus is a frequent complication after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). Among patients needing CSF diversion, some cannot be weaned. Little is known about the comparative neurological, neuropsychological, and health-related quality-of-life (HRQOL) outcomes in patients with successful and unsuccessful CSF weaning.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: In approximately 15% of spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) patients, no bleeding source is found in the initial imaging. These patients can be categorized as either perimesencephalic (PM-SAH) or non-perimesencephalic (NP-SAH) subarachnoid hemorrhage patients. Follow-up imaging is routinely performed after NP-SAH to detect treatable etiologies; however, the optimal follow-up imaging protocol remains unclear.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFGrowing evidence links COVID-19 with acute and long-term neurological dysfunction. However, the pathophysiological mechanisms resulting in central nervous system involvement remain unclear, posing both diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. Here we show outcomes of a cross-sectional clinical study (NCT04472013) including clinical and imaging data and corresponding multidimensional characterization of immune mediators in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma of patients belonging to different Neuro-COVID severity classes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Flow diversion treatment of ruptured cerebral aneurysms remains challenging due to the need for double-antiplatelet therapy. We report our experience with flow-diverter stent (FDS) reconstruction with single-antiplatelet therapy of ruptured cerebral blood blister and dissecting aneurysms.
Methods: In this case series we performed a retrospective analysis of all patients with ruptured cerebral aneurysms who were treated with a phosphoryl-bonded FDS between 2019 and 2022 in a single center.