Clinical effect of nimodipine on traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage

ObjectiveTo explore the clinical effect of nimodipine on traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage(tSAH).Methods Sixty-two patients with tSAH were prospectively recruited in this study and divided into treatment group(n=31) and control group(n=31) according to their admission time. All the patients received conservative treatment. The patients in the treatment group received nimodiping and the patients in the control group did not. The other treatment measure except nimodipine was similar between the two groups. GCS score was assessed before the treatment, and 3, 5, 7, 10, 14 and 21 days after the treatment. The intracranial pressure(ICP) was measured before the treatment, and 3, 5, 7, 10 and 14 days after the treatment. The velocity of middle cerebral artery(MCA) was detected by transcranial Doppler sonography before the treatment, and 3, 5, 7, 10, 14 and 21 days after the treatment. The prognosis was assessed according to GOS 3 months after the injury.ResultsThe mean velocities of MCA were significantly lower in the treatment group than in the control group 3 days after treatmnet. The rate of cerebral vasospasm(CVS; the velocity of MCA120 cm/s) was significantly lower in the treatment group(35.5%, 11/31) than that(58.1%, 18/31) in the control group(P0.05). The mean GCS scores were significantly higher in the treatment group than those in the control group 7 days after the treatment(P0.05). The ICP values were significantly lower in the treatment group than those in the control group 7 days after the treatment(P0.05). The rate of good prognosis(GOS 4 or 5 score) was significantly higher in the treatment group(83.9%, 26/31) than that(58.1%, 18/31) in the control group(P0.05). ConclusionsNimodipine can decrease the rate of CVS at the early stage of tSAH and can improve the prognosis of patients with tSAH.