Tromsø intracranial aneurysm and subarachnoid hemorrhage study

The main objective is to contribute to knowledge that can improve individualized assessment of rupture risk in patients with unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIA) and improve  treatment and outcome after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). This would improve selection of patients for treatment of uIA and reduce the total burden of aSAH.

Specifically, we study:

1. The prevalence of uIAs and how the prevalence develops over time
2. How living with an un-treated uIA affects health related quality of life, anxiety and psychological distress
3. Institution-specific outcomes after treatment of uIA
4. Institution-specific outcomes after treatment of aSAH. This includes establishment of an aSAH-module in the Norwegian stroke registry (from 2024).
5. Whether gradual weaning (versus prompt closure) of ventricular drainage in patients with acute hydrocephalus after aSAH is associated with the risk for a need for a permanent ventriculoperitoneal shunt 
6. Risk factors for uIA and aSAH, with an aim of developing new and better preventive measures

Principal investigator: Jørgen G. Isaksen

Internal members: Tor Ingebrigtsen, Liv-Hege Johnsen, Torbjørn Ø. Skodvin, Mathilde Vea Iversen, Roar Kloster, Haakon Lindekleiv, Ingvild Rosenlund, Minna Oinas, Marit Herder, Ida Bakke, Torgil Vangberg, Ellisiv B. Mathiesen

External collaborators: Ilari Rautalin (Department of Neurosurgery, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Finland), Marie Søfteland Sandvei (Dept. of Public Health and Nursing, NTNU and the Cancer Clinic, St Olav's University Hospital, Norway), Pål R. Romundstad (Dept. of Community Medicine, NTNU, Norway), Maja-Lisa Løchen, Dept. of Community Medicine, UiT), Anne Vik (Dept. of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, NTNU, and Dept. of Neurosurgery, St. Olav’s University Hospital, Norway), Jaako Kaprio (Department of Public Health, University of Helsinki, Finland), Veikko Salomaa (Department of Public Health and Welfare, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland), Pekka Jousilahti (Department of Public Health and Welfare, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland), Miika Korja (Department of Neurosurgery, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Finland).

Publications 2012-2022:

1. Johnsen LH, Isaksen JG, Vangberg T, Herder M, Ingebrigtsen T, Mathiesen EB. Prevalence of unruptured intracranial aneurysms: impact of different definitions. The Tromsø Study. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2022;93:902-907.
2. Iversen MV, Ingebrigtsen T, Totland JA, Kloster R, Isaksen JG. Outcome of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage in a population-based cohort: retrospective registry study. Stroke: Vasc Int Neurol 2022;2:e000148.
3. Rautalin I, Kaprio J, Ingebrigtsen I, Jousilahti P, Løchen ML, Romundstad PR, Salomaa V, Vik A, Wilsgaard T, Mathiesen EB, Sandvei MS, Korja M. Obesity does not protect from subarachnoid hemorrhage – pooled analyses of three large prospective Nordic cohorts. Stroke 2022;53:1301-1309
4. Skodvin TØ, Kloster R, Sorteberg W, Isaksen JG. Survey of European neurosurgeons' management of unruptured intracranial aneurysms: inconsistent practice and organization. Acta Neurochir. 2021;163(1):113-121.
5. Sandvei MS, Lindekleiv HM, Romundstad PR, Müller TB, Vatten LJ, Ingebrigtsen T, Njølstad I, Mathiesen EB, Vik A. Risk factors for aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage – body mass index and serum lipids: 11-years follow-up of the HUNT and the Tromsø Study in Norway. Acta Neurol Scand 2012;125:382-388
6. Lindekleiv H, Mathiesen EB, Førde OH, Wilsgaard T, Ingebrigtsen T. Hospital volume and 1-year mortality after treatment of intracranial aneurysms: a study based on patient registries in Scandinavia. J Neurosurg 2015;123:631-7
7. Lindekleiv H, Sandvei MS, Romundstad PR, Wilsgaard T, Njølstad I, Ingebrigtsen T, Vik A, Mathiesen EB. Joint effect of modifiable risk factors on the risk of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage: a cohort study. Stroke 2012;43:1885-9

1. Research grant from the Norwegian health association for 2020
2. Research grant from the Northern Norway regional health authority (HNF1526-20)
3. Postdoc grant from the Northern Norway regional health authority (HNF1542-20)