There is a potential connection between a diagnosis of certain gastrointestinal (GI) syndromes and the formation and rupture of intracranial (brain) aneurysms, according to research presented today at the Society of NeuroInterventional Surgery's (SNIS) 21 st Annual Meeting. An intracranial aneurysm (IA) occurs when a blood vessel in the brain bulges, putting pressure on the vessel wall. IAs that rupture cause brain bleeding and lead to a hemorrhagic stroke, a life-threatening emergency requiring immediate medical attention from a neurointerventionalist.
Researchers have questioned whether GI syndromes may be connected to the formation and rupture of IAs. In their study, "The Gut-Brain Axis: A Nationwide Database Analysis of Gastrointestinal Syndromes Preceding a Diagnosis of Intracranial Aneurysms," researchers from the University of Pennsylvania found that certain digestive symptoms and diagnoses may precede the formation and rupture of IAs. The team analyzed data from 72,545 individuals with ruptured IAs, 46,748 individuals with unruptured IAs and matched controls looking for patients who had been diagnosed with GI disorders like gastroesophageal reflux disease, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and diarrhea before their IA diagnosis.
Then, they validated their findings in a cohort study with a five-year timeframe. Researchers found that GI syndromes and appendectomy were associated with both ruptured and unruptured IA cases. Specifically, patients with IA who had been previou.
