[Thrombosis of the cerebral veins and sinuses in 62 patients].

OBJECTIVE

Analysis of signs, symptoms, course and treatment of patients with cerebral venous and sinus thrombosis (CVST).

DESIGN

Retrospective study.

SETTING

Neurological departments of Dutch teaching hospitals.

METHOD

Analysis of data of patients admitted to the neurological wards of nine teaching hospitals, diagnosed from 1970 to 1990. All patients with a clinical diagnosis of CVST, confirmed by X-ray angiography, magnetic resonance imaging, surgery or autopsy were included. Patients with cavernous sinus thrombosis were excluded. The clinical condition of patients after 3 months was scored on a 4-point scale.

RESULTS

Of 93 patients 62 fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Three months after the diagnosis 41 patients (66%) had recovered, 10 patients (16%) were seriously disabled, 11 patients (18%) had died. Factors associated with a poor outcome were coma (relative risk 3.5) and hemiparesis (relative risk 2.3) at the time of diagnosis. Signs of cerebral haemorrhage or infarction (by computed X-ray tomography) were associated with disability or death. Anticoagulant treatment was not significantly associated with a better or poorer outcome in these patients.

CONCLUSION

This study confirms the variations in causes, clinical presentation, natural history, and treatment of CVST. No conclusion could be drawn about the effect of anticoagulant treatment.