Fusiform Aneurysms Are Associated with Aortic Root Dilatation in Patients with Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

BACKGROUND: Aortic root dimension (ARD), an echocardiographic marker of aortopathy, has recently been associated with intracranial aneurysm eccentricity, suggesting a common underlying pathophysiology between intracranial aneurysm and aortopathy. OBJECTIVE: To identify specific intracranial aneurysm-related parameters that independently correlate with ARD in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage. METHODS: Clinical and aneurysm-related parameters obtained from 151 patients with ruptured intracranial aneurysms, and who also underwent echocardiography with ARD measured, were examined. Univariate and multivariate analysis were performed to determine correlation of these parameters with ARD. RESULTS: 151 patients who were evaluated from 2008 to 2013 were analyzed. Multivariate linear regression revealed that male gender and fusiform aneurysms were correlated with higher ARD (P < 0.01 and P = 0.041, respectively) after adjustment for other morphological and clinical variables. CONCLUSIONS: Fusiform aneurysms are correlated with larger ARD than saccular aneurysms, suggesting a shared pathophysiologic mechanism with aortopathy.