The Effect of a Single dose Dantrolene in Patients with Vasospasm Following Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

BACKGROUND Cerebral vasospasm is a prolonged, occasionally severe, but reversible narrowing of the cerebral arteries that begins 3 to 5 days after the hemorrhage becomes maximal at 14 days. This study is designed to evaluate the effect of dantrolene on the reduction of vasospasm following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). MATERIALS AND METHODS This randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted on 32 patients with proven aneurysms in AL-Zahra hospital during 2011-2013. They were randomly divided into two groups. In all patients, daily transcranial Doppler sonography was performed and as soon as the diagnosis of vasospasm onset in the first group, in addition to conventional treatment of vasospasm 2.5 mg/kg Dantrolene infusion within 60 minutes and while the blood pressure and heart rate of patient monitored, and arterial flow velocity changes such as PSV and MFV were measured by transcranial Doppler sonography in 45, 90 and 135 minutes. Data was analyzed by SPSS 22 and Chi-square, Student t, Mann-Whitney and ANOVA tests with repeated observations. RESULTS There was no significant difference in the site of the aneurysm in the two groups. The mean of PSV index prior to treatment and the 45th minute was not different but at 90th and 135th minutes it was significantly lower in the Dantrolene receiving group (P < 0.05). The mean of MFV index prior to intervention and in the 45th minute was not different between two groups, but at 90th and 135th minutes was significantly lower in the target group. CONCLUSION Using dantrolene in patients with artery vasospasm significantly reduced artery spasm and increased the patient recovery.