Sagittal sinus thrombosis in adult minimal change nephrotic syndrome

Nephrotic syndrome causes a hypercoagulable state, leading to both venous and arterial thrombosis. The mechanisms are as yet unclear, but numerous alterations in coagulant and anti-coagulant factors have been reported [Llach et al. 1985, Harris and Ismail 1994]. The most common clinical features in adults are renal vein thrombosis, femoral vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, although thrombosis in numerous other arterial and venous sites has been described [Cameron 1984, Llach et al. 1985]. Intracranial thrombosis is rare, although in adult nephrotic syndrome arterial thrombosis is well recognized [Fuh et al. 1991]. We report a patient with minimal change nephrotic syndrome who developed venous sinus thrombosis detected by magnetic resonance (MR) scanning.