Increased risk of Ventriculostomy-Associated hemorrhage in patients treated with antiplatelet agents for stent-assisted coiling of ruptured intracranial aneurysms

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of antiplatelet agents for stent-assisted coiling, including intravenous (IV) tirofiban as an antiplatelet premedication, on rates of external ventricular drain (EVD)-related hemorrhage in acutely ruptured intracranial aneurysms. The impact of IV tirofiban in particular was also evaluated.

Methods

Rates of radiographically identified hemorrhage associated with EVD placement were compared between patients who received an antiplatelet agent for stent-assisted coil embolization (SACE), and patients who did not receive an antiplatelet agent between June 2013 and June 2019.

Results

78 patients treated for a ruptured aneurysm which required an EVD were included. A total of 46 patients who underwent stent-assisted coiling and received IV tirofiban and oral asipirin and clopidogrel (DAPT) were included in the antiplatelet group, while 32 who underwent single coiling and received no antiplatelet therapy were included in the control group. Overall, EVD-related hemorrhage occurred in 13 patients (16.67%): 11 (23.91%) in the antiplatelet group and 2 (6.25%) in the control group (p = 0.040). Of 37 patients who underwent computed tomography after SACE, but before the use of DAPT, 8 (21.62%) exhibited EVD-related hemorrhage after IV tirofiban therapy (p = 0.070 vs. control group). EVD-related hemorrhage was not significantly different between patients with EVD placement after coil embolization versus before coil embolization (p = 0.124). In the subgroup analysis for the antiplatelet group, we did not observed increased EVD-related hemorrhage in patients receiving EVD placement after administration of antiplatelet agents (8/27 [29.63%]) versus before administration of antiplatelet agents (3/19 [15.79%]).

Conclusion

Patients with ruptured aneurysm who receive an antiplatelet agent for stent-assisted coiling are at a higher risk for EVD-related hemorrhage. The order of EVD placement and EVT, as well as the order of EVD placement and antiplatelet initiation do not appear to be significantly different regarding the outcome of EVD-related hemorrhage.

Highlights

• Patients with ruptured aneurysm who receive an antiplatelet agent for stent-assisted coiling are at a higher risk for EVD-related hemorrhage.

• There was a trend towards higher EVD related haemorrhage when tirofiban was used but it did not reach statisitical significance.

• The order of EVD—whether before vs after endovascular treatment, or before vs after antiplatelet therapy did not influence the EVD-related hemorrhage rates.

Keywords:

• Aspirin
• clopidogrel
• tirofiban
• external ventricular drain
• endovascular treatment
• coiling

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Ethical approval

For this type of study formal consent is not required.