Cerebral venous thrombosis.

Neuroimagining facilities allow early recognition of cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT), which now appears far more common than previously assumed. The diagnosis remains difficult because of a wide spectrum of clinical presentation and a highly variable mode of onset. Numerous conditions (presently mostly noninfectious) can cause or predispose to CVT, which therefore requires an extensive etiologic work-up. The functional and vital prognosis is much better than classically thought with, in noninfectious CVT, a fatality rate of less than 10% and a complete recovery in over 70%. Although spontaneous recovery is possible, the efficacy of heparin is now well established.     

Cerebral venous thrombosis

Cerebral vein and dural sinus thromboses (CVT) appear to be rare, but their identification has increased in recent year, due to the increased use of MRI and to a better knowledge of the variable clinical presentation of CVT.CVT can be diagnosed by MR and MR-angiography. Catheter angiography is reserved for cases whose diagnosis remains uncertain with MR. The individual risk for CVT is determined by genetic factors, but may be increased by numerous predisposing conditions and precipitating factors. In recent CVT series death rate is below 10% and about 80% of patients make a complete recovery. The treatment of CVT includes etiological and symptomatic treatment, antithrombotic therapy (anticoagulants, local thrombolysis) and the treatment of intracranial hypertension. There are few randomized trials upon which to base treatment recommendations.     

颅内静脉窦血栓形成的诊治(附9例报告)

目的探讨颅内静脉窦血栓形成(CVST)临床表现、诊断及治疗。方法回顾性分析9例经影像学诊断为CVST的患者,行抗凝及血管内介入溶栓治疗。结果9例患者均有颅内压增高表现;3例癫痫发作;2例颅内出血;2例出现意识障碍;1例偏瘫。头部CT、MRI、MRV、DSA为诊断提供依据。8例应用低分子肝素治疗,1例进行血管内介入尿激酶溶栓治疗,同时进行肝素抗凝治疗。治疗后9例患者中7例症状完全缓解,2例症状明显好转。随访6例患者半年至2年,疗效稳定,无1例复发。结论CVST患者多有颅内压增高表现,及时行MRI、MRV及DSA检查,以明确诊断。抗凝治疗为首选治疗方法,血管内介入溶栓治疗协同抗凝治疗可提高疗效。     

Cerebral venous and sinus thrombosis

Introduction: Although anticoagulation (AC) reduces the risk of a fatal outcome or severe disability in patients with cerebral venous and sinus thrombosis (CVST), prognosis of severe cases is still difficult to predict. The authors studied the clinical course of patients with CVST who died despite AC therapy to look for clinical features that might explain the lethal course of these patients. Materials and Methods: Retrospective analysis of a series of 79 consecutive patients with CVST who were treated with a standard regimen of dose-adjusted iv heparin. Case histories of patients with a fatal outcome are presented. Results: The authors identified eight patients with a fatal outcome. All patients were stuporous or comatose at the start of AC, and four patients showed markedly delayed intracranial circulation times, indicating extensive venous thrombosis. Two patients improved, but deteriorated secondarily after reduction or discontinuation of AC. Sufficient activated partial thromboplastin time levels were reached only after a delay in three patients, and critical deterioration occurred in two of them during this time. Conclusion: Although inadequate AC may have contributed to the fatal outcome, some patients with extensive venous thrombosis who are stuporous or comatose at the start of AC may carry an increased risk of death, despite heparin therapy. More aggressive treatment approaches, such as endovascular thrombolysis, may be needed for this subgroup of patients with CVST.     

Cerebral venous and sinus thrombosis

Abstract. Cerebral venous and sinus thrombosis (CVST) can present with a variety of clinical symptoms ranging from isolated headache to deep coma. Prognosis is better than previously thought and prospective studies have reported an independent survival of more than 80% of patients. Although it may be difficult to predict recovery in an individual patient, clinical presentation on hospital admission and the results of neuroimaging investigations are—apart from the underlying condition—the most important prognostic factors. Comatose patients with intracranial haemorrhage (ICH) on admission brain scan carry the highest risk of a fatal outcome. Available treatment data from controlled trials favour the use of anticoagulation (AC) as the first-line therapy of CVST because it may reduce the risk of a fatal outcome and severe disability and does not promote ICH. A few patients deteriorate despise adequate AC which may warrant the use of more aggressive treatment modalities such as local thrombolysis. The risk of recurrence is low (< 10%) and most relapses occur within the first 12 months. Analogous to patients with extracerebral venous thrombosis, oral AC is usually continued for 3 months after idiopathic CVST and for 6–12 months in patients with inherited or acquired thrombophilia but controlled data proving the benefit of long-term AC in patients with CVST are not available.Abbreviations CVST cerebral venous and sinus thrombosis - aPTT activated partial thromboplastin time - IU international units - INR international normalized ratio - AED antiepileptic drug - ICP intracranial pressure - mOsm/kg milliosmole per kilogram     

Cerebral venous thrombosis in children

Cerebral venous thrombosis is an important cause of stroke in children. Understanding the natural history of the disease is essential for rational application of new interventions. We retrospectively identified 31 children with cerebral venous thrombosis confirmed by head computed tomography (4 patients) or by magnetic resonance imaging (27 patients). Risk factors, clinical and radiographic features, and neurologic outcomes were analyzed. There were 21 males and 10 females aged 1 day to 13 years (median 14 days). Nineteen (61%) were neonates. The most common risk factors included mastoiditis, persistent pulmonary hypertension, cardiac malformation, and dehydration. The chief clinical features were seizures, fever, respiratory distress, and lethargy. Fifteen patients had infarctions (8 hemorrhagic, 7 ischemic). Protein C and antithrombin III deficiency were the most common coagulopathies among 14 tested patients. On discharge, 11 patients were normal, 17 had residual deficits, and 2 patients died. Twenty-seven patients were followed from 1 month to 12 years (mean 22 months). At follow-up, 11 patients were normal, and 13 patients had development delay. One had residual hemiparesis and cortical visual impairment. Two had other deficits. Neonatal cerebral venous thrombosis is probably more common than previously thought, and outcomes are worse in this group. All children with cerebral venous thrombosis should be tested for coagulation disorders.     

Cerebral venous thrombosis in neonates and children.

Twenty-five patients (10 neonates, 15 children) with cerebral venous thromboses diagnosed by magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography over a 10-year period were reviewed retrospectively. Two groups were analyzed separately because of their differing modes of presentation and outcome. Eighty percent of neonates presented with seizures and the outcomes were unfavorable in more than 50%. Thrombosis usually was associated with an acute systemic illness, such as shock or dehydration. In comparison, headache was the most common mode of presentation in the older children (excluding infants) and their outcomes generally were favorable. Thrombosis in this group usually occurred in the setting of a hypercoagulable state or an infectious process. In both groups, global or focal neurologic findings on initial examination unrelated to increased intracranial pressure correlated with the presence of an infarction on computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging. Infants and children with infarction due to a deep venous thrombosis often had persistent neurologic disability at subsequent examination. No sequelae were observed in those children and neonates only with thrombosis or with superficial venous infarction. Treatment for both groups was conservative. No patient was anticoagulated specifically for the thrombosis. The good outcomes in most patients suggest that acute anticoagulation may not be indicated.     

Cerebral venous thrombosis and venous malformations in children

Venous strokes are not as common as arterial strokes in the pediatric population, but may be associated with significant mortality and morbidity. Cerebral vein thrombosis and venous sinus thrombosis are responsible for most venous strokes. Vein of Galen malformation is a rare but important cause of mortality in neonates and infants. Awareness of these potential causes of stroke in the pediatric population, early diagnosis, and appropriate therapeutic strategies are paramount to reduce mortality and improve neurologic outcome.     

Cerebral venous thrombosis: continental disparities

Cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) usually accounts for < 1% of all strokes. Global disparity and diversity in their demographics, etiology, clinical features, radiological presentation, and mortality have not been previously explored. A systematic search was performed for publications in PubMed using key words “cerebral venous thrombosis,” “Cerebral vein thrombosis,” and “Cortical vein Thrombosis.” A total of 600 relevant studies were abstracted with strict selection criteria, and a total of 7048 patient’s data were used for the final analysis. The frequency and relative frequency statistics were used to describe the data. Cases reported were Europe-3152, Asia-2722, North America-852, Africa-122, Australia-121, and South America-79. Overall male to female ratio was 1:2.2; among clinical characteristics, headache was the most common symptom and hematological factors were the most common etiology. Location of the thrombosis was described mostly in the transverse sinus. Intercontinental differences in relation to demographics, etiology, clinical features, radiological presentation, and mortality were identified. CVT can have significant disparity in their demographics, etiology, clinical features, radiological presentation, and mortality when compared from one continent to other. It is important for the worldwide physicians to recognize these differences and to follow the most recent guidelines, diagnostic methods, and treatment to insure the best outcome and prognosis.     

Cerebral venous thrombosis with plasminogen deficiency

We describe a patient with inherited plasminogen deficiency who developed extensive cerebral venous thrombosis. Several other conditions that might have contributed to a hypercoagulable state, including mild thrombocytosis, thyrotoxicosis, and a chronic inflammatory lung disorder, were present. We also discuss the evidence linking plasminogen deficiency with a thrombophilic state. The diagnosis of cerebral venous thrombosis in this case was readily established by nuclear magnetic resonance imaging, a technique that is ideally suited for the evaluation and follow-up of patients with this condition.     

Cerebral venous thrombosis: an update

Cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) is a rare type of cerebrovascular disease that can occur at any age, including in neonates, and it accounts for 0.5% of all stroke. The widespread use of neuroimaging now allows for early diagnosis and has completely modified our knowledge on this disorder. CVT is more common than previously thought and it is recognised as a non-septic disorder with a wide spectrum of clinical presentations, numerous causes, and usually a favourable outcome with a low mortality rate. MRI with T1, T2, fluid-attenuated inversion recovery, and T2* sequences combined with magnetic resonance angiography are the best diagnostic methods. D-dimer concentrations are raised in most patients but normal D-dimers do not rule out CVT, particularly in patients who present with isolated headache. Heparin is the first-line treatment, but in a few cases more aggressive treatments, such as local intravenous thrombolysis, mechanical thrombectomy, and decompressive hemicraniectomy, may be required.     

Cerebral venous thrombosis in young adults

We report a series of nine patients younger than 45 years with angiographically-documented cerebral venous thrombosis, consecutively referred to our Stroke Unit from 1988 to 1994. Two of them were men and seven women. Eight patients initially complained of headache, often associated with other symptoms of increased intracranial pressure. Seven patients had focal motor deficits and four suffered from epileptic seizures. None of the patients died. Only one patient remained severely disabled, whereas the others recovered self-sufficiency within two months. The use of oral contraceptives was closely associated with the occurrence of venous thrombosis in the women. Cerebral venous thrombosis is to be kept in mind in the differential diagnosis of stroke in the young.