Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2011 May;53(5):343-8.
doi: 10.1007/s00234-010-0726-1. Epub 2010 Jun 23.

Long-term MRA follow-up after coiling of intracranial aneurysms: impact on mood and anxiety

Affiliations

Long-term MRA follow-up after coiling of intracranial aneurysms: impact on mood and anxiety

Sandra P Ferns et al. Neuroradiology. 2011 May.

Abstract

Introduction: Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) screening for recurrence of a coiled intracranial aneurysm and formation of new aneurysms long-term after coiling may induce anxiety and depression. In coiled patients, we evaluated effects on mood and level of anxiety from long-term follow-up MRA in comparison to general population norms.

Methods: Of 162 patients participating in a long-term (>4.5 years) MRA follow-up after coiling, 120 completed the EQ-5D questionnaire, a visual analog health scale and a self-developed screening related questionnaire at the time of MRA. Three months later, the same questionnaires were completed by 100 of these 120 patients. Results were compared to general population norms adjusted for gender and age.

Results: Any problem with anxiety or depression was reported in 56 of 120 patients (47%; 95%CI38↔56%) at baseline and 42 of 100 patients (42%; 95%CI32↔52%) at 3 months, equally for screen-positives and -negatives. Compared to the reference population, participants scored 38% (95%CI9↔67%) and 27% (95%CI4↔50%) more often any problem with anxiety or depression. Three months after screening, 21% (20 of 92) of screen-negatives and 13% (one of eight) of screen-positives reported to be less afraid of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) compared to before screening. One of eight screen-positives reported increased fear of SAH.

Conclusions: Patients with coiled intracranial aneurysms participating in long-term MRA screening reported significantly more often to be anxious or depressed than a reference group. Screening did not significantly increase anxiety or depression temporarily. However, subjectively, patients did report an increase in anxiety caused by screening, which decreased after 3 months.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Patients’ response to the screening related questions at MRI screening and after 3 months
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Flowchart showing patient selection for the LOTUS study and the present sub-study
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Patients’ response to “Are you anxious or depressed?” question at MRI screening and after 3 months
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Patients reporting to have ‘any problem’ with anxiety or depression in the EQ-5D questionnaire at MRI screening and after 3 months compared to Dutch general population norms

References

    1. Sprengers ME, Schaafsma J, van Rooij WJ, Sluzewski M, Rinkel GJ, Velthuis BK, van Rijn JC, Majoie CB. Stability of intracranial aneurysms adequately occluded 6 months after coiling: a 3T MR angiography multicenter long-term follow-up study. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 2008;29:1768–1774. doi: 10.3174/ajnr.A1181. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Schaafsma JD, Sprengers ME, van Rooij WJ, Sluzewski M, Majoie CB, Wermer MJ, Rinkel GJ. Long-term recurrent subarachnoid hemorrhage after adequate coiling versus clipping of ruptured intracranial aneurysms. Stroke. 2009;40:1758–1763. doi: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.108.524751. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Sprengers ME, van Rooij WJ, Sluzewski M, Rinkel GJ, Velthuis BK, de Kort GA, Majoie CB. MR angiography follow-up 5 years after coiling: frequency of new aneurysms and enlargement of untreated aneurysms. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 2009;30:303–307. doi: 10.3174/ajnr.A1353. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Lindholt JS, Vammen S, Fasting H, Henneberg EW. Psychological consequences of screening for addominal aortic aneurysm and conservative treatment of small abdominal aortic aneurysms. Eur J Vasc Endovasc Surg. 2000;20:79–83. doi: 10.1053/ejvs.1999.1087. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Scaf-Klomp W, Sanderman R, van de Wiel HB, Otter R, van den Heuvel WJ. Distressed or relieved? Psychological side effects of breast cancer screening in the Netherlands. J Epidemiol Community Health. 1997;51:705–710. doi: 10.1136/jech.51.6.705. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

Publication types