OBJECTIVE Being overweight or mildly obese has been associated with a decreased risk of death or hospitalization in patients with cardiovascular disease. Similarly, overweight patients admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) have improved survival up to 1 year after admission. These counterintuitive observations are examples of the "obesity paradox." Does the obesity paradox exist in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH)? In this study the authors examined whether there was an association between obesity and functional outcome in patients with ICH. METHODS The authors analyzed 202 patients admitted to the neurological ICU (NICU) who were prospectively enrolled in the Columbia University ICH Outcomes Project between September 2009 and December 2012. Patients were categorized into 2 groups: overweight (body mass index [BMI] ≥ 25 kg/m) and not overweight (BMI < 25 kg/m). The primary outcome was defined as survival with favorable outcome (modified Rankin Scale [mRS] score 0-3) versus death or severe disability (mRS score 4-6) at 3 months. RESULTS The mean age of the patients in the study was 61 years. The mean BMI was 28 ± 6 kg/m. The mean Glasgow Coma Scale score was 10 ± 4 and the mean ICH score was 1.9 ± 1.3. The overall 90-day mortality rate was 41%. Among patients with a BMI < 25 kg/m, 24% (17/70) had a good outcome, compared with 39% (52/132) among those with a BMI ≥ 25 kg/m (p = 0.03). After adjusting for ICH score, sex, do-not-resuscitate code status, and history of hypertension, being overweight or obese (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m) was associated with twice the odds of having a good outcome compared with patients with BMI < 25 kg/m (adjusted odds ratio 2.05, 95% confidence interval 1.03-4.06, p = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS In patients with ICH admitted to the NICU, being overweight or obese (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m) was associated with favorable outcome after adjustment for established predictors. The reason for this finding requires further study.

Substance use disorders (SUDs) are a growing problem among older adults. Acamprosate, disulfiram, and naltrexone are United States Food and Drug Administration (referred to as FDA) approved for the treatment of alcohol use disorder, and buprenorphine is approved for the treatment of opiate use disorder among adults. However, the data on the use of these medications for the treatment of SUDs among older adults are unclear from randomized controlled trials (referred to as RCTs). A review of the literature indicates that there are only two RCTs that evaluated the use of pharmacologic agents for SUDs among older adults (≥ 50 years). One trial evaluated the use of naltrexone when compared to placebo for the treatment of alcohol use disorder among individuals, 50-70 years in age. The other trial evaluated the use of naltrexone or placebo as adjuncts with sertraline in the treatment of alcohol use disorder among individuals older than 55 years in age. Both trials indicated that the use of naltrexone reduced the rates of relapse among older adults with alcohol use disorder. However, we did not identify any RCTs that studied the use of buprenorphine, acamprosate, or disulfiram for SUDs among older adults. Based on available evidence, it would be safe to conclude that limited data indicate some efficacy for naltrexone in the treatment of alcohol use disorder among older adults. However, data from controlled trials on the use of other medications that are FDA approved for the treatment of SUDs among younger adults are nonexistent among older adults with SUDs.

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