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Outcomes and complications of patients with cerebral venous thrombosis: a retrospective study
Mosaad O Almegren1, Saleh H Alharbi1, Turki A Alshuaibi1
1From the Department of Medicine (Almegren, Alharbi S), College of Medicine, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, from the Department of Oncology (Alraizah), King Abdulaziz Medical City, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University of Health Sciences, Riyadh, Department of Medicine (Alshuaibi, Alharbi K, Almansour), King Fahad Hospital, Jeddah, and from the Division of Hematology (Alqahtani), Department of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and from the Department of Hematology (Al Rawahi), College of Medicine and Health Sciences (Al Balushi), Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman.
Insights
Cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) patients treated with anticoagulation often experience complications. While most patients have mild neurological disability, about half face complications like seizures, highlighting the need for further research.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Vascular Medicine
- Radiology
Background:
- Cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) is a rare but serious condition.
- Understanding patient outcomes and complications is crucial for effective management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the outcomes and complications in patients diagnosed with cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT).
Main Methods:
- A multicenter retrospective study involving 103 adult patients with CVT from Saudi Arabia and Oman (2006-2020).
- Data collected from medical records and analyzed using IBM® SPSS version 22.
- Neurological disability assessed using the modified Rankin scale (mRS).
Main Results:
- The majority of the 103 patients were female, with a mean age of 39.12 years.
- Anticoagulation therapy included low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) and warfarin.
- 52.3% of patients experienced complications, including seizures (16.5%); one mortality occurred.
- Most patients had no or mild neurological disability (mRS <3), but 6 had significant disability (mRS ≥3).
- Complete thrombus resolution was observed in 36% of patients with follow-up imaging.
Conclusions:
- Anticoagulation remains the primary treatment for cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT).
- Approximately half of CVT patients encounter complications, necessitating careful monitoring.
- Further prospective studies are required to evaluate long-term neurological outcomes.
Objectives:
To assess outcomes and complications of patients with cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT).
Methods:
This multicenter retrospective study was conducted at 2 health care centers in Saudi Arabia and Oman. Adult patients diagnosed with CVT in radiological imaging between 2006 and 2020 were included. Data were collected from medical records and analyzed using the software IBM® SPSS version 22. Neurological disability occurring after CVT was graded according to the modified Rankin scale (mRS).
Results:
The study included 103 patients, of which the majority (68%) were female. The mean age was 39.12±12.96 years. Two-thirds of patients received low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) in acute treatment, while 76% of discharged patients used warfarin. The majority of patients had no or mild neurological disability during follow-up, and 6 patients had an mRS score ≥3, implying significant neurological disability. There were 55 patients (52.3%) who had complications from CVT, including seizures in 17 (16.5%) patients and one mortality. Follow-up imaging of 55 patients showed complete thrombus resolution in 20 patients (36%).
Conclusion:
Anticoagulation is the mainstay treatment for CVT patients. Approximately half of patients experience complications. Prospective studies are needed to assess the long-term neurological outcomes in such patients.
