Deferoxamine and Outcomes in Mid-Volume Intracerebral Hemorrhage
Vignan Yogendrakumar, MD MSc
@VYogendrakumar
Wei C, Wang J, Foster LD, Yeatts SD, Moy C, Mocco J, Selim M. Effect of Deferoxamine on Outcome According to Baseline Hematoma Volume: A Post Hoc Analysis of the i-DEF Trial. Stroke. 2021.
Intracerebral hemorrhage is a complex disease because, truly, no two bleeds are ever the same. Hemorrhages can differ in size, location, or compartment, and the varying combinations of these elements can lead to dramatic differences in clinical severity and long-term outcome. A small but well-placed hemorrhage in the internal capsule can lead to contralateral hemiplegia, whilst a moderately sized lobar hemorrhage can sometimes present with minimal clinical symptoms. This heterogeneity has been a point of frustration in treatment trials that aim to improve clinical outcomes because a candidate therapy may have a significant effect on a portion of the trial population, but the treatment effect may be diluted when the whole population is assessed. Past trials have informed subsequent studies regarding patient selection, but even with the numerous lessons learned, identifying patients that are most likely to benefit from a candidate therapy remains a difficult task.