Abstract: Objective To study the role of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) levels and other risk factors in the occurrence
of chronic hydrocephalus after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). Methods Patients treated for aSAH in our
hospital between January, 2007 and June, 2012 were divided into non-hydrocephalus group and hydrocephalus group. TGF-β1
levels in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were compared between the two groups at different time points. A retrospective analysis
was conducted to identify the potential risk factors for chronic hydrocephalus, which were subsequently confirmed by Logistic
regression analysis. Results Of the 129 patients enrolled, 16 (12.4% ) developed chronic hydrocephalic with an average
diagnosis time of 31.6±17.0 days. In patients with chronic hydrocephalus, TGF-β1 level in the CSF increased significantly on the
13th day following aSAH (P<0.05). Retrospective analysis showed that the patients with hydrocephalus and those without had
significant differences in history of hypertension, times of SAH, Hunt-Hess classification, ventricular expansion, aneurysm
position, Fisher classification, ventricular hemorrhage score and intracranial infections (P<0.05). Logistic regression analysis
identified ventricular expansion, aneurysm position, Fisher classification, ventricular hemorrhage score and postoperative
intracranial infections as significant risk factors for the occurrence of chronic hydrocephalus (P<0.05). Conclusions In adult
patients with aSAH, the risk factors for chronic hydrocephalus include ventricular expansion, aneurysm position, Fisher
classification, ventricular hemorrhage score and postoperative intracranial infections. These risk factors can have greater
clinical value than TGF-β1 levels in the CSF in predicting the occurrence of chronic hydrocephalus following aSAH.