Table 1.
Baseline demographic, frailty, and presenting characteristics by care pathway
| Characteristic | Overall (N = 166) | Urgent (n = 122) | Scheduled (n = 44) | p value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Demographics & baseline | ||||
| Age, yr | 65 [23–84] | 66 [23–84] | 62.5 [29–79] | 0.072 |
| Male sex | 88 (53) | 64 (52) | 24 (55) | 0.861 |
| Preoperative KPS | 80 [10–100] | 70 [10–100] | 80 [60–100] | < 0.001 |
| ASA class | 0.032 | |||
| I-II | 21 (13) | 12 (9.8) | 9 (20) | 0.109 |
| III | 122 (73) | 89 (73) | 33 (75) | 0.845 |
| IV | 23 (14) | 21 (17) | 2 (4.5) | 0.042 |
| Biopsy performed | 26 (16) | 9 (7.4) | 17 (39) | < 0.001 |
| Frailty | ||||
| mFI-5 category | 0.388 | |||
| Robust/pre-frail | 117 (70) | 84 (69) | 33 (75) | 0.564 |
| Frail | 37 (22) | 27 (22) | 10 (23) | 1.000 |
| Severely frail | 12 (7.2) | 11 (9.0) | 1 (2.3) | 0.186 |
| Corticosteroids at presentation | ||||
| Any corticosteroid | 136 (82) | 115 (94) | 21 (48) | < 0.001 |
| Dexamethasone-equivalent dose, mg/day | 16 [0–24] | 16 [0–24] | 0 [0–20] | < 0.001 |
| ≥ 16 mg/day | 114 (69) | 102 (84) | 12 (27) | < 0.001 |
| Discharged on corticosteroids before surgery | — | 31 (70) | ||
| Presenting symptoms | ||||
| Seizure | 35 (21) | 18 (15) | 17 (39) | 0.002 |
| Confusion / altered mentation | 77 (46) | 64 (52) | 13 (30) | 0.013 |
| Visual change | 34 (20) | 31 (25) | 3 (6.8) | 0.008 |
| Gait disturbance | 50 (30) | 46 (38) | 4 (9.1) | < 0.001 |
| Focal motor deficit | 64 (39) | 50 (41) | 14 (32) | 0.367 |
| Asymptomatic / incidental | 7 (4.2) | 1 (0.8) | 6 (14) | 0.001 |
| Headache | 67 (40) | 57 (47) | 10 (23) | 0.007 |
| Nausea / vomiting | 26 (16) | 23 (19) | 3 (6.8) | 0.088 |
| Aphasia | 31 (19) | 23 (19) | 8 (18) | 1.000 |
Continuous variables are median [range], compared with the Mann–Whitney U test; categorical variables are no. (%), compared with Fisher’s exact test. Multi-level variables show an overall p on the header row and a per-level p beneath. Percentages < 10 are shown to one decimal. Corticosteroid dose is the highest dose given at the diagnostic encounter (single bolus or standing daily regimen), in dexamethasone-equivalent mg/day; discharge on corticosteroids before surgery applies to scheduled patients only. ASA, American Society of Anesthesiologists; KPS, Karnofsky Performance Status; mFI-5, 5-item modified frailty index