Antihyperthermic treatment decreases perihematomal hypodensity.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect on perihematomal hypodensity and outcome of a decrease in body temperature in the first 24 hours in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH).

METHODS: In this retrospective study on a prospectively registered database, among the 1,100 patients, 795 met all the inclusion criteria. Temperature variations in the first 24 hours and perihematomal hypodensity (PHHD) were recorded. Patients ≥37.5°C were treated with antihyperthermic drugs for at least 48 hours. The main objective was to determine the association among temperature variation, PHHD, and outcome at 3 months.

RESULTS: The decrease in temperature in the first 24 hours increased the possibility of good outcome 11-fold. Temperature decrease, lower PHHD volume, and a good outcome were observed in 31.8% of the patients who received antihyperthermic treatment.

CONCLUSION: The administration of early antihyperthermic treatment in patients with spontaneous ICH with a basal axillary temperature ≥37.5°C resulted in good outcome in a third of the treated patients.