Antithrombotic therapy influences location, enlargement, and mortality from intracerebral hemorrhage. The Bleeding with Antithrombotic Therapy (BAT) Retrospective Study.
BACKGROUND
To determine whether the use of oral antithrombotic agents before the onset of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) affects hematoma features and early patient outcome.


METHODS
A retrospective, multicenter study involving 1,006 consecutive Japanese patients (607 men, 67 +/- 12 years of age) hospitalized within 24 h after the onset of nontraumatic ICH was conducted.


RESULTS
One hundred and eighty patients were taking oral antiplatelet agents (17.9%, AP group), 67 were taking warfarin (6.7%, W group), and 21 were taking both (2.1%, W + AP group). After adjustment for age, sex, and known confounders, the taking of each kind of antithrombotic therapy was independently related to cerebellar hemorrhage; the odds ratios (OR) and 95% CI, with patients taking no antithrombotic agents as the reference group, were 2.31 (1.23-4.32) for the AP group, 2.90 (1.26-6.63) for the W group, and 3.43 (1.02-11.59) for the W + AP group. Similarly, the taking of each kind of antithrombotic therapy was independently related to hematoma enlargement within the initial 24 h (OR and 95% CI: AP group, 1.92, 1.10-3.34; W group, 4.80, 2.12-10.87; W + AP group, 4.94, 1.31-18.61) and mortality at 3 weeks post-ICH (OR and 95% CI: AP group, 2.70, 1.56-4.68; W group, 2.50, 1.05-5.96; W + AP group, 9.41, 2.78-31.88).


CONCLUSIONS
Prior medication with antiplatelet agents, warfarin, or both was predictive of cerebellar hemorrhage, hematoma enlargement, and early death in Japanese ICH patients.