PURPOSE: To investigate which clinical and angioarchitectural features were 
associated with the occurrence of intracranial hemorrhage in patients with 
intracranial dural arteriovenous fistulas (DAVFs).
MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical and 
angioarchitectural features of 236 consecutive patients diagnosed with DAVF in 
our department from April 2009 to November 2013. Two groups of patients, with or 
without intracranial hemorrhage as clinical presentation at the initial 
diagnosis, were analysed to identify the differences in clinical and 
angioarchitectural features in univariate analysis. A multivariate logistic 
regression model was also developed to assess the independent contribution of 
the potential risk factors. Associations were considered significant for p<0.05.
RESULTS: Fifty-six patients (23.7%) presented with intracranial hemorrhage at 
the initial diagnosis of DAVF. In univariate analysis, male patients (p = 
0.002), patients with medical history of smoking (p<0.001) or alcohol 
consumption (p = 0.022), and DAVFs located at the tentorium (p = 0.010), 
frontalbasal (p = 0.007), foramen magnum (p = 0.043) or cerebral convexity 
(p<0.001) were associated with an increased risk of intracranial hemorrhage. A 
higher risk of hemorrhagic occurrence was also observed in DAVFs with 
superficial cortical venous drainage (p<0.001), deep venous drainage (p = 
0.003), occluded venous sinus (p<0.032), or higher Borden type (p<0.001). A 
multivariate logistic regression model showed that intracranial hemorrhage in 
patients with DAVFs was correlated with higher Borden classification (OR 5.880; 
95% CI, 3.370-10.257; p<0.001).
CONCLUSION: Venous drainage pattern was the only independent risk factor of 
intracranial hemorrhage in our patients with intracranial DAVF. The other 
potential risk factors may be confounding factors in predicting intracranial 
hemorrhage.