Etiological, topographic and clinical evaluation of patients with cerebral vein thrombosis

Suna Aşkin Turan, Şule Deveci̇, Canan Bolcu Emi̇r, Cihat Örken

Keywords: Cerebral venous thrombosis, clinical features, etiology, prognosis, MR venography

Aim:

Cerebral vein thrombosis is a rare cerebrovascular disease that affects all age groups. It often has a good prognosis and clinical presentation varies. Early coma and intracranial hemorrhage have been reported as poor prognostic factors.

Method:

During the 5-year period between January 1, 2006 and October 1, 2011, a total of 46 patients, 30 females, 16 males, followed up with a diagnosis of CVT were analyzed retrospectively.

Results:

The average age is 39.3 + 12.29, the age range is 13-69. The subjects were admitted to hospital 22 of them were subacute, 20 were acute, and 4 were admitted in the chronic period. The most common complaint was headache (69.6%) and the most common finding was papillae edema (56.5%). Epileptic seizures were observed in 15 patients included in the study. When imaging findings were examined, 24 of them had no parenchymal lesions, 13 had hemorrhagic infarction, 6 had ischemic infarction, 2 had subarachnoid hemorrhage, and one had an epidural abscess. While a single dural sinus thrombosis was observed in 16 patients, 30 patients had more than one sinus involvement. When isolated and non-isolated sinuses were taken together, the most common transverse sinus (n = 37), thrombosis was found. While no etiological cause was found in 11 of the patients, more than one etiology was found in 18 patients. Detected predisposing factors; infection (n = 8), puerparum (n = 5), oral contraceptive medication (n = 7), hereditary thrombophilia (n = 21), Behçet's disease (n = 2), ulcerative colitis (n = 1), head trauma (n = 1). During the follow-up of the patients, complete recovery was noted in 38 patients, 1 patient died, and 7 patients were disabled.

Conclusions:

In our daily practice, every case should be approached with suspicion in order not to miss the diagnosis of SVT. Mortality and morbidity may decrease by the help of early treatment. Cerebral venous thrombosis must be remembered in the differential diagnosis of headaches of unknown etiology.

#47