Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis in Saudi Arabia

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Vascular Neurology
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) is a rare but serious neurological condition with varied clinical presentations and etiologies.
• Understanding local patterns of CVST is crucial for timely diagnosis and effective management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the clinical characteristics, causes, treatments, and outcomes of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) in Jeddah and Al-Baha, Saudi Arabia.
• To compare findings with existing international and local data on CVST.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective analysis of 111 patients diagnosed with CVST between 1990 and 2010.
• Data collected from King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah, and King Fahad Hospital, Al-Baha.
• Literature review and comparison with global CVST studies.

Main Results:

• The study included 92 adults (predominantly female) and 19 children (more boys affected).
• Common symptoms included headache, focal neurological deficits, seizures, and altered consciousness.
• Key risk factors identified were pregnancy/puerperium, antiphospholipid antibody syndrome, oral contraceptives, malignancy, and infections. Multiple sinuses were involved in 45.9% of cases.
• Complete or partial recovery was achieved in 87.4% of patients with prompt anticoagulation.

Conclusions:

• Pregnancy/puerperium emerged as the most frequent etiological factor for CVST in this Saudi Arabian cohort.
• Clinical features align with international observations, though Behcet's disease was not a significant factor.
• Effective treatment with anticoagulation is associated with favorable outcomes in the majority of CVST patients.