Clinical Analysis of Spontaneous Intracerebral Hemorrhage in Young People

Objective : Spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (sICH) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality, especially in Asian countries. Nevertheless, few reports of sICH in young people have been published. This study investigates the clinical features of sICH in young people. Methods Between February 1999 and December 2007, we retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients aged ${\leq}$45 years diagnosed with sICH at our institute. We analyzed the causes, locations, risk factors, and final outcomes of sICH in these patients. Results : Twenty-one patients (14.5%) were younger than 25 years, while 27 patients (18.6%) were 25~34 years old. Ninety-seven patients (66.9%) were between the ages of 35~45. The most common cause of sICH was hypertension (57.9%). The most common location of sICH was in the lobar region (35.2%). Vascular anomaly was the main cause in both the <25 age group (76.2%) and the 25~34 age group (70.4%). The diagnostic rate of angiography was 75% for the under 25 age group and 80% in the 25~34 age group. Conclusions : Hypertension is the most common cause of sICH in people between 35 and 45, and vascular anomaly is the main cause in people under 35 years of age. Thus, angiography should be mandatory for people under 35 with sICH, and for people with lobar hemorrhage. For young people, early diagnosis of hypertension and strict blood pressure control is recommended.