Early predictors of hematoma resorption rate in medically treated patients with spontaneous supratentorial hemorrhage

Spontaneous intracranial hemorrhages are associated with a relatively high mortality rate, and there is no effective treatment so far. Hematoma resorption speed after intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) is believed to correlate with clinical outcome. However, little is known about hematoma resorption rates following spontaneous ICH. The aim of this study is to identify factors that can influence the rate of hematoma resorption in patients with spontaneous supratentorial ICH. We studied 80 patients admitted at the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an JiaoTong University from November 2008 to April 2012. The rate of hematoma resorption was calculated for each patient by measuring the variation in the volume of the hematoma (mL) from two computerized tomography brain scans divided by the time factor (days) separating the respective scans. Non-parametric and standard multiple linear regression methods were used for statistical analysis. The size of the hematoma was identified as a predictor of the rate of hematoma resorption. For supratentorial hematomas with a maximum volume of 45 mL, the larger the volume, the greater the rate of resorption. Non-hypertensive patients had a more favorable rate of hematoma resorption than those who were hypertensive. A low serum high-density lipoprotein (HDL) level (< 0.83 mmol/L) was associated with a slower hematoma resorption rate. Therefore, a spontaneous ICH hematoma of less than 45 mL, a history of chronic hypertension, and a lower level of HDL were found to be the predictors of the hematoma resorption rate in the first 7-day period following ICH onset.