Management of cerebral venous thrombosis in Spain: MOTIVATE descriptive study

Introduction: Cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) is an uncommon cause of stroke that mainly affects young adults. Early, accurate diagnosis can reduce the rate and severity of complications.

Objective: The aim of this study was to analyse the clinical characteristics, management, and treatment of CVT in different centres in Spain.

Methods: We conducted a multicentre, retrospective, descriptive study of patients hospitalised due to CVT between 2008 and 2017 at 10 Spanish centres.

Results: We included 256 patients, with a mean age (SD) of 49.8 (18.7) years; 51% of patients were women. The most frequent symptoms were headache (73%), focal deficits (50%), epileptic seizures (33%), and encephalopathy (21%). The most frequent localisations were the superior sagittal sinus (12.5%), the transverse sinus (10.9%), and 2 or more sinuses or veins (66.4%). Thrombophilia was the most frequent known aetiology (24%), and was most commonly associated with the prothrombin G20210A mutation (19%). Forty-six percent of patients were treated with antithrombotics for 3 to 6 months, 21% for one year, and 22.6% required indefinite anticoagulation. Endovascular therapy was performed in 5% of cases, and 33% required neurosurgery. Regarding outcomes, 75% of patients were independent at 3 months (modified Rankin Scale [mRS] score ≤ 2), with papilloedema (P = .03), focal deficits (P = .001), and encephalopathy (P < .001) showing a statistically significant association with poor prognosis (mRS > 3). The in-hospital mortality rate was 4.3%, with a 3-month mortality rate of 6.3%.

Conclusion: The diverse risk factors and variable presentation of CVT represent a challenge in the diagnosis and treatment of this condition. To improve prognosis and reduce mortality, it is essential to establish management protocols for this entity.