A scoring tool to predict mortality and dependency after cerebral venous thrombosis

BACKGROUND

We developed a prognostic score to predict dependency and death after cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) to identify patients for targeted therapy in future clinical trials..

METHODS

We used data from the International CVT Consortium. We excluded patients with pre-existent functional dependency. We used logistic regression to predict poor outcome (modified Rankin Scale 3-6) at 6 months and Cox regression to predict 30-day and 1-year all-cause mortality. Potential predictors derived from previous studies were selected with backward stepwise selection. Coefficients were shrunken using Ridge regression to adjust for optimism in internal validation.

RESULTS

Of 1454 patients with CVT, the cumulative number of deaths was 44 (3%) and 70 (5%) for 30 days and 1 year, respectively. Of 1126 patients evaluated regarding functional outcome, 137 (12%) were dependent or dead at 6 months. From the retained predictors for both models, we derived the SI₂ NCAL₂ C score utilizing the following components: absence of female Sex-specific risk factor, Intracerebral hemorrhage, Infection of the central nervous system, Neurologic focal deficits, Coma, Age, lower Level of hemoglobin (g/L), higher Level of glucose (mmol/L) at admission, and Cancer. C-statistics were 0.80 (95%CI 0.75-0.84), 0.84 (95%CI 0.80-0.88) and 0.84 (95%CI 0.80-0.88) for the poor outcome, 30 days and 1 year mortality model, respectively. Calibration plots indicated good model fit between predicted and observed values. The SI₂ NCAL₂ C score calculator is freely available at www.cerebralvenousthrombosis.com.

CONCLUSIONS

The SI₂ NCAL₂ C score shows adequate performance for estimating individual risk of mortality and dependency after CVT but external validation of the score is warranted.

Dural arteriovenous fistulas in cerebral venous thrombosis: Data from the International Cerebral Venous Thrombosis Consortium

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

To explore the prevalence, risk factors, time correlation, characteristics and clinical outcome of dural arteriovenous fistulas (dAVFs) in a cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) population.

METHODS

We included patients from the International CVT Consortium registries. Diagnosis of dAVF was confirmed centrally. We assessed the prevalence and risk factors for dAVF among consecutive CVT patients and investigated its impact on clinical outcome using logistic regression analysis. We defined poor outcome as modified Rankin Scale score 3-6 at last follow-up.

RESULTS

dAVF was confirmed in 29/1218 (2.4%) consecutive CVT patients. The median (interquartile range [IQR]) follow-up time was 8 (5-23) months. Patients with dAVF were older (median [IQR] 53 [44-61] vs. 41 [29-53] years; p < 0.001), more frequently male (69% vs. 33%; p < 0.001), more often had chronic clinical CVT onset (>30 days: 39% vs. 7%; p < 0.001) and sigmoid sinus thrombosis (86% vs. 51%; p < 0.001), and less frequently had parenchymal lesions (31% vs. 55%; p = 0.013) at baseline imaging. Clinical outcome at last follow-up did not differ between patients with and without dAVF. Additionally, five patients were confirmed with dAVF from non-consecutive CVT cohorts. Among all patients with CVT and dAVF, 17/34 (50%) had multiple fistulas and 23/34 (68%) had cortical venous drainage. Of 34 patients with dAVF with 36 separate CVT events, 3/36 fistulas (8%) were diagnosed prior to, 20/36 (56%) simultaneously and 13/36 after (36%, median 115 [IQR 38-337] days) diagnosis of CVT.

CONCLUSIONS

Dural arteriovenous fistulas occur in at least 2% of CVT patients and are associated with chronic CVT onset, older age and male sex. Most CVT-related dAVFs are detected simultaneously or subsequently to diagnosis of CVT.

Post-SARS-CoV-2-vaccination cerebral venous sinus thrombosis: an analysis of cases notified to the European Medicines Agency

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) has been described after vaccination against SARS-CoV-2. The clinical characteristics of 213 post-vaccination CVST cases notified to the European Medicines Agency are reported.

METHODS

Data on adverse drug reactions after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination notified until 8 April 2021 under the Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities Term 'Central nervous system vascular disorders' were obtained from the EudraVigilance database. Post-vaccination CVST was compared with 100 European patients with CVST from before the COVID-19 pandemic derived from the International CVST Consortium.

RESULTS

In all, 213 CVST cases were identified: 187 after AstraZeneca/Oxford (ChAdOx1 nCov-19) vaccination and 26 after a messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccination (25 with Pfizer/BioNTech, BNT162b2, and one with Moderna, mRNA-1273). Thrombocytopenia was reported in 107/187 CVST cases (57%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 50%-64%) in the ChAdOx1 nCov-19 group, in none in the mRNA vaccine group (0%, 95% CI 0%-13%) and in 7/100 (7%, 95% CI 3%-14%) in the pre-COVID-19 group. In the ChAdOx1 nCov-19 group, 39 (21%) reported COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction tests were performed within 30 days of CVST symptom onset, and all were negative. Of the 117 patients with a reported outcome in the ChAdOx1 nCov-19 group, 44 (38%, 95% CI 29%-47%) had died, compared to 2/10 (20%, 95% CI 6%-51%) in the mRNA vaccine group and 3/100 (3%, 95% CI 1%-8%) in the pre-COVID-19 group. Mortality amongst patients with thrombocytopenia in the ChAdOx1 nCov-19 group was 49% (95% CI 39%-60%).

CONCLUSIONS

Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis occurring after ChAdOx1 nCov-19 vaccination has a clinical profile distinct from CVST unrelated to vaccination. Only CVST after ChAdOx1 nCov-19 vaccination was associated with thrombocytopenia.

Acute symptomatic seizures in cerebral venous thrombosis

OBJECTIVE

To identify characteristics, predictors, and outcomes of acute symptomatic seizures (ASS) in cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT), we investigated 1,281 consecutive adult patients with CVT included from 12 hospitals within the International CVT Consortium.

METHODS

We defined ASS as any seizure between symptom onset and 7 days after diagnosis of CVT. We stratified ASS into prediagnosis and solely postdiagnosis ASS. Status epilepticus (SE) was also analyzed separately. We analyzed predictors for ASS and the association between ASS and clinical outcome (modified Rankin Scale) with multivariable logistic regression.

RESULTS

Of 1,281 eligible patients, 441 (34%) had ASS. Baseline predictors for ASS were intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH; adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 4.1, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.0-5.5), cerebral edema/infarction without ICH (aOR 2.8, 95% CI 2.0-4.0), cortical vein thrombosis (aOR 2.1, 95% CI 1.5-2.9), superior sagittal sinus thrombosis (aOR 2.0, 95% CI 1.5-2.6), focal neurologic deficit (aOR 1.9, 95% CI 1.4-2.6), sulcal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aOR 1.6, 95% CI 1.1-2.5), and female-specific risk factors (aOR 1.5, 95% CI 1.1-2.1). Ninety-three (7%) patients had solely postdiagnosis ASS, best predicted by cortical vein thrombosis (positive/negative predictive value 22%/92%). Eighty (6%) patients had SE, independently predicted by ICH, focal neurologic deficits, and cerebral edema/infarction. Neither ASS nor SE was independently associated with outcome.

CONCLUSION

ASS occurred in one-third of patients with CVT and was associated with brain parenchymal lesions and thrombosis of the superficial system. In the absence of prediagnosis ASS, no subgroup was identified with sufficient risk of postdiagnosis ASS to justify prophylactic antiepileptic drug treatment. We found no association between ASS and outcome.

Late seizures in cerebral venous thrombosis

Objective

To examine the incidence, characteristics, treatment, and predictors of late seizures (LS) after cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT), we described these features in a registry of 1,127 patients with CVT.

Methods

We included consecutive adult patients from an international consortium of 12 hospital-based CVT registries. We excluded patients with a history of epilepsy or with <8 days of follow-up. We defined LS as seizures occurring >7 days after diagnosis of CVT. We used multivariable Cox regression to identify predictors of LS.

Results

We included 1,127 patients with CVT. During a median follow-up of 2.0 years (interquartile range [IQR] 1.0–6.3), 123 patients (11%) experienced ≥1 LS (incidence rate for first LS 30 per 1,000 person-years, 95% confidence interval [CI] 25–35). Median time to first LS was 5 months (IQR 1–16 months). Baseline predictors of LS included status epilepticus in the acute phase (hazard ratio [HR] 7.0, 95% CI 3.9–12.6), decompressive hemicraniectomy (HR 4.2, 95% CI 2.4–7.3), acute seizure(s) without status epilepticus (HR 4.1, 95% CI 2.5–6.5), subdural hematoma (HR 2.3, 95% CI 1.1–4.9), and intracerebral hemorrhage (HR 1.9, 95% CI 1.1–3.1). Eighty-five patients (70% of patients with LS) experienced a recurrent seizure during follow-up, despite the fact that 94% received antiepileptic drug treatment after the first LS.

Conclusion

During a median follow-up of 2 years, ≈1 in 10 patients with CVT had LS. Patients with baseline intracranial bleeding, patients with acute symptomatic seizures, and those who underwent decompressive hemicraniectomy were at increased risk of developing LS. The high recurrence risk of LS justifies epilepsy diagnosis after a first LS.

Anaemia at admission is associated with poor clinical outcome in cerebral venous thrombosis

Background and purpose

Anaemia is associated with poor clinical outcome after ischaemic and haemorrhagic stroke. The association between anaemia and outcome in patients with cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) was examined.

Methods

Consecutive adult patients with CVT were included from seven centres. Anaemia at admission was scored according to World Health Organization definitions. Poor clinical outcome was defined as a modified Rankin Scale score 3–6 at last follow‐up. A multiple imputation procedure was applied for handling missing data in the multivariable analysis. Using binary logistic regression analysis, adjustments were made for age, sex, cancer and centre of recruitment (model 1). In a secondary analysis, adjustments were additionally made for coma, intracerebral haemorrhage, non‐haemorrhagic lesion and deep venous system thrombosis (model 2). In a sensitivity analysis, patients with cancer were excluded.

Results

Data for 952 patients with CVT were included, 22% of whom had anaemia at admission. Patients with anaemia more often had a history of cancer (17% vs. 7%, P < 0.001) than patients without anaemia. Poor clinical outcome (21% vs. 11%, P < 0.001) and mortality (11% vs. 6%, P = 0.07) were more common amongst patients with anaemia. After adjustment, anaemia at admission increased the risk of poor outcome [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 2.4, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.5–3.7, model 1]. Model 2 revealed comparable results (aOR 1.9, 95% CI 1.2–3.2), as did the sensitivity analysis excluding patients with cancer (aOR 2.3, 95% CI 1.3–3.8, model 1).

Conclusion

The risk of poor clinical outcome is doubled in CVT patients presenting with anaemia at admission.

Postpartum Period Is a Risk Factor for Cerebral Venous Thrombosis

Background and Purpose—

Pregnancy and the postpartum period are generally considered to be risk factors for cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT), but no controlled studies have quantified the risk.

Methods—

Case-control study using data of consecutive adult patients with CVT from 5 academic hospitals and controls from the Dutch MEGA study (Multiple Environmental and Genetic Assessment of risk factors for venous thrombosis). Men, women over the age of 50, women using oral contraceptives or with a recent abortion or miscarriage were excluded. We adjusted for age and history of cancer, and stratified for pregnancy versus postpartum, and 0 to 6 versus 7 to 12 weeks postpartum.

Results—

In total 163/813 cases and 1230/6296 controls were included. Cases were younger (median 38 versus 41 years) and more often had a history of cancer (14% versus 4%) than controls. In total 41/163 (25%) cases and 82/1230 (7%) controls were pregnant or postpartum (adjusted odds ratio, 3.8; 95% CI, 2.4–6.0). The association was fully attributable to an increased risk of CVT during the postpartum period (adjusted odds ratio, 10.6; 95% CI, 5.6–20.0). We found no association between pregnancy and CVT (adjusted odds ratio, 1.2; 95% CI, 0.6–2.3). The risk was highest during the first 6 weeks postpartum (adjusted odds ratio, 18.7; 95% CI, 8.3–41.9).

Conclusions—

Women who have recently delivered are at increased risk of developing CVT, while there does not seem to be an increased risk of CVT during pregnancy.

Cancer and risk of cerebral venous thrombosis: a case-control study

Essentials The risk of cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) in patients with cancer is not known. We performed a case-control study including 594 patients with CVT and 6278 controls. History of cancer increased the risk of CVT approximately 5-fold. The association was strongest with hematological cancer in the first year after diagnosis.

SUMMARY

Background Cancer is an established risk factor for leg vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. Controlled studies assessing the risk of cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) in patients with cancer have not been performed. Objective To assess whether cancer is a risk factor for CVT. Patients/Methods This was a case-control study. We assessed consecutive adult patients with CVT from three academic hospitals from 1987 to 2015, and control subjects from the Dutch MEGA study (Multiple Environmental and Genetic Assessment of risk factors for venous thrombosis). We adjusted for age, sex and oral contraceptive use, and stratified for type of cancer and time since diagnosis of cancer. Results We included 594 cases and 6278 controls. In total, 53 cases (8.9%) and 160 controls (2.5%) had a history of cancer. Cases were younger (median 42 vs. 48 years), more often female (68% vs. 54%) and more often used oral contraceptives (55% vs. 23%) than controls. The risk of CVT was increased in patients with cancer compared with those without cancer (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 4.86; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.46-6.81). Patients with a hematological type of cancer had a higher risk of CVT (aOR, 25.14; 95% CI, 11.64-54.30) than those with a solid type of cancer (aOR, 3.07; 95% CI, 2.03-4.65). The association was strongest in the first year after diagnosis of cancer (hematological aOR, 85.57; 95% CI, 19.70-371.69; solid aOR, 10.50; 95% CI, 5.40-20.42). Conclusions Our study indicates that cancer is a strong risk factor for CVT, particularly within the first year of diagnosis and in patients with a hematological type of cancer.

Cerebral venous thrombosis

Cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) is an important cause of stroke in young adults. Data from large international registries published in the past two decades have greatly improved our knowledge about the epidemiology, clinical manifestations and prognosis of CVT. The presentation of symptoms is highly variable in this disease, and can range from a patient seen at the clinic with a 1-month history of headache, to a comatose patient admitted to the emergency room. Consequently, the diagnosis of CVT is often delayed or overlooked. A variety of therapies for CVT are available, and each should be used in the appropriate setting, preferably guided by data from randomized trials and well-designed cohort studies. Although deaths from CVT have decreased in the past few decades, mortality remains ∼5-10%. In this Review, we provide a comprehensive and contemporary overview of CVT in adults, with emphasis on advancements made in the past decade on the epidemiology and treatment of this multifaceted condition.

Risk of Cerebral Venous Thrombosis in Obese Women

IMPORTANCE

Obesity is a risk factor for deep vein thrombosis of the leg and pulmonary embolism. To date, however, whether obesity is associated with adult cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) has not been assessed.

OBJECTIVE

To assess whether obesity is a risk factor for CVT.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

A case-control study was performed in consecutive adult patients with CVT admitted from July 1, 2006 (Amsterdam), and October 1, 2009 (Berne), through December 31, 2014, to the Academic Medical Center in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, or Inselspital University Hospital in Berne, Switzerland. The control group was composed of individuals from the control population of the Multiple Environmental and Genetic Assessment of Risk Factors for Venous Thrombosis study, which was a large Dutch case-control study performed from March 1, 1999, to September 31, 2004, and in which risk factors for deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism were assessed. Data analysis was performed from January 2 to July 12, 2015.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Obesity was determined by body mass index (BMI). A BMI of 30 or greater was considered to indicate obesity, and a BMI of 25 to 29.99 was considered to indicate overweight. A multiple imputation procedure was used for missing data. We adjusted for sex, age, history of cancer, ethnicity, smoking status, and oral contraceptive use. Individuals with normal weight (BMI <25) were the reference category.

RESULTS

The study included 186 cases and 6134 controls. Cases were younger (median age, 40 vs 48 years), more often female (133 [71.5%] vs 3220 [52.5%]), more often used oral contraceptives (97 [72.9%] vs 758 [23.5%] of women), and more frequently had a history of cancer (17 [9.1%] vs 235 [3.8%]) compared with controls. Obesity (BMI ≥30) was associated with an increased risk of CVT (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 2.63; 95% CI, 1.53-4.54). Stratification by sex revealed a strong association between CVT and obesity in women (adjusted OR, 3.50; 95% CI, 2.00-6.14) but not in men (adjusted OR, 1.16; 95% CI, 0.25-5.30). Further stratification revealed that, in women who used oral contraceptives, overweight and obesity were associated with an increased risk of CVT in a dose-dependent manner (BMI 25.0-29.9: adjusted OR, 11.87; 95% CI, 5.94-23.74; BMI ≥30: adjusted OR, 29.26; 95% CI, 13.47-63.60). No association was found in women who did not use oral contraceptives.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

Obesity is a strong risk factor for CVT in women who use oral contraceptives.

Admission Hyperglycemia and Clinical Outcome in Cerebral Venous Thrombosis

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Admission hyperglycemia is associated with poor clinical outcome in ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke. Admission hyperglycemia has not been investigated in patients with cerebral venous thrombosis.

METHODS

Consecutive adult patients with cerebral venous thrombosis were included at the Academic Medical Center, The Netherlands (2000-2014) and the Helsinki University Central Hospital, Finland (1998-2014). We excluded patients with known diabetes mellitus and patients without known admission blood glucose. We defined admission hyperglycemia as blood glucose ≥7.8 mmol/L (141 mg/dL) and severe hyperglycemia as blood glucose ≥11.1 mmol/L (200 mg/dL). We used logistic regression analysis to determine if admission hyperglycemia was associated with modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score of 3 to 6 or mortality at last follow-up. We adjusted for: age, sex, coma, malignancy, infection, intracerebral hemorrhage, deep cerebral venous thrombosis, and location of recruitment.

RESULTS

Of 380 patients with cerebral venous thrombosis, 308 were eligible. Of these, 66 (21.4%) had admission hyperglycemia with 8 (2.6%) having severe admission hyperglycemia. Coma (31.3% versus 5.0%, P<0.001) and intracerebral hemorrhage (53.0% versus 32.6%, P=0.002) at presentation were more common among patients with admission hyperglycemia than normoglycemic patients. Patients with admission hyperglycemia had a higher risk of mRS score of 3 to 6 (adjusted odds ratio, 3.10; 95% confidence interval, 1.35-7.12) and mortality (adjusted odds ratio, 4.13; 95% confidence interval, 1.41-12.09). Severe hyperglycemia was even more strongly associated with mRS score of 3 to 6 (adjusted odds ratio, 11.59; 95% confidence interval, 1.74-77.30) and mortality (adjusted odds ratio, 33.36; 95% confidence interval, 3.87-287.28) compared with normoglycemic patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Admission hyperglycemia is a strong predictor of poor clinical outcome in patients with cerebral venous thrombosis.