Clinical profile and treatment outcome of patients with cerebral venous sinus thrombosis

Abstract

Background: Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis is an uncommon cause of stroke often affecting young individuals and it can pose a diagnostic dilemma due to its diverse clinical presentation. An analysis of patients admitted with cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) at D.Y. Patil Hospital, Navi Mumbai, was conducted to assess etiology, clinical features, diagnosis, and prognosis. The study concluded that early recognition and timely intervention is essential for good outcome. The use of imaging techniques, such as magnetic resonance imaging, is required for diagnosis and monitoring.
Materials and Methods: A study conducted on thirty patients withclinical features and MRIsuggestive of CVST.
Results: The average age of presentation was 31.53 years, with 60% of cases being females. The predominant symptoms were headache (36.7%) and seizures (33.3%). The superior sagittal sinus, transverse sinus, and sigmoid sinus were most affected.  Low molecular weight heparin was administered to 83.3% of patients, whereas 16.7% received unfractionated heparin. 73.3% of patients had fully recovery and 26.7% had partially recovered after treatment.
Conclusion: A variety of symptoms and signs can be observed with cerebral venous sinus thrombosis. The most common symptom was headache, with thrombosis mainly affecting the transverse sinuses, superior sagittal sinuses, and sigmoid sinuses. An aggressive anticoagulation regimen yields excellent clinical outcomes.