Effect of Dual Antiplatelet Therapy on Shunt Outcomes in Patients with Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: A Matched Cohort Pilot Study

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this retrospective, matched cohort study is to determine the effect of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) on shunt-related complications and long-term functional outcomes in endovascularly treated aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) patients. MATERIALS AND METHOD: We retrospectively analyzed an institutional database of aSAH patients from 2000-2015. Patients who underwent endovascular treatment with stent-assisted coiling (DAPT cohort) were matched in a 1:4 ratio to those who underwent coiling alone (no-DAPT cohort) based on the presenting patient and aneurysm factors. A favorable outcome was defined as a modified Rankin scale of <2. Statistical analyses were performed to compare the shunt-related and functional outcomes between the DAPT and no-DAPT cohorts. RESULTS: After applying the selection criteria and performing the matching process, the overall study cohort comprised 25 aSAH patients who underwent endovascular treatment, including five in the DAPT and 20 in the no-DAPT cohorts. The mean age, World Federation of Neurological Surgeons grade, aneurysm size, and follow-up duration of the overall study cohort were 52.3 years, 2.9, 7.4 mm, and 32.7 months, respectively. The mean time from aSAH to shunt placement was significantly higher for patients in the DAPT cohort (5.6 vs. 0.7 months; p=0.026). The shunt complication rates (p=0.562) and functional outcomes at last follow-up (p=0.924) were not significantly different between the two cohorts. CONCLUSION: Patients receiving DAPT after the stent-assisted coiling of acutely ruptured aneurysms do not have an increased risk of shunt-related complications or unfavorable long-term functional outcomes compared to endovascularly treated aSAH patients not taking DAPT. These results suggest that further study is warranted.