Is smoking a risk factor for bleeding in adult men with cerebral arteriovenous malformations? A single-center regression study from China

Abstract

Objective: To assess whether smoking increases the risk of bleeding in patients with cerebral arteriovenous malformations (CAVM).

Material and methods: According to our research plan, 385 CAVM patients admitted to Beijing Tiantan Hospital from December 2015 to January 2018 were included in this study, including 210 bleeding patients and 175 non-bleeding patients. We divided patients into three subgroups of current smokers, ex-smokers (those who quit smoking for one year or more) and non-smokers. The relationship between smoking and the risk of CAVM rupture was assessed by univariate and multivariate regression analysis.

Results: Multivariate regression analysis showed that there was a statistically significant difference between current smoker and non-smoker (OR = 1.87, p = 0.019). Among the covariates of the multivariate regression analysis, the location, combined with blood flow-related intracranial aneurysms and size were related to the risk of CAVM bleeding.

Conclusion: Current smoking may increase the risk of CAVM bleeding; however, there was no significant correlation between ex-smoking and CAVM bleeding.

Keywords: Bleeding; Cerebral arteriovenous malformations; Risk; Smoking.