Risk factors and diagnosis of cerebral venous thrombosis: Data from a cohort of 45 Romanian patients

Abstract

Cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) represents 1% of the total stroke pathology but is a real challenge both regarding the diagnosis and the treatment. Objective: Evaluate different etiological, demographical, clinical, imaging and therapeutic aspects of CVT. Material: Prospective study during 4 years. From the total 3658 patients hospitalized with acute stroke, 45 (1.23%) had CVT. For each patient, were recorded: demographic data, symptom of onset, type of onset, daily habits, medical history, neurological examination, brain imaging (CT and MRI with venography). Statistical analysis: data are presented as mean and SD and Student t test was applied. Results: Mean age was 44.07± 23,12 years; female: male ratio 2.21:1. The most frequent type of onset was acute (77.78%). Headache was found in 80% of cases as initial symptom, followed by neurological focal deficits. As risk factors, thrombophilia was found most often (59.5%), followed by local infections. No risk factors were found in 17.8% of cases. The brain imaging was positive in 29 patients. In 16 cases, the imaging workout was negative and the diagnosis consisted of clinical criteria, risk factors, response to heparin treatment. Conclusions: CVT is a rare pathology that affects mainly young women and that needs a complex diagnostic evaluation. The patient prototype diagnosed with CVT in our region: female of 44 years old, with an intense acute headache, with MRI showing direct signs of transverse sinus thrombosis, with a thrombophilic state and good response to anticoagulants. Brain MRI is the imaging investigation required but clinical aspects play a decisive role.