Early, delayed, and expanded intracranial hemorrhage in cerebral venous thrombosis

Acta Neurol Scand. 2019 Dec;140(6):435-442. doi: 10.1111/ane.13164. Epub 2019 Oct 1.

Abstract

Objectives: One of the most important prognostic factors of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) is intracranial hemorrhage (ICH). We studied the risk factors, clinical, and radiologic characteristics of early, delayed, and expanded ICH in Iranian patients with CVST.

Materials and methods: In a retrospective study, from August 2012 to September 2016, all adult patients with a confirmed diagnosis of CVST were recruited. Demographic, clinical, and radiologic characteristics of the patients were recorded. The predictors of early, delayed, and expanded ICH were assessed through logistic regression analysis.

Results: Among 174 eligible patients, 35.1% of the patients had early ICH. Delayed and expanded hemorrhage occurred in 5% and 7.4% of the patients, respectively. Higher age was a risk factor (odds ratio [OR] = 1.038, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.008-1.069), and involvement of multiple sinuses/veins was associated with lower risk of early ICH (OR = 0.432, CI = 0.226-0.827). The risk of delayed ICH was higher in the patients with early hemorrhage (OR = 4.44, CI: 0.990-19.94), men (OR = 4.18, CI: 0.919-19.05), and those with a focal neurologic deficit on admission (OR = 16.05, CI: 1.82-141.39). Acute onset was the predictor of the expansion of early ICH (OR = 8.92, CI: 1.81-43.77), whereas female gender-related conditions were associated with a lower risk of hemorrhage expansion (OR = 0.138, CI: 0.025-0.770). Administration of anticoagulants was associated with neither delayed (P value = .140) nor expanded hemorrhage (P-value = .623).

Conclusions: Male gender, early hemorrhages, acute onset, and presence of focal neurologic deficit are the risk factors for delayed and/or expanded hemorrhages in the patients with CVST.

Keywords: acute stroke; cerebral venous sinus thrombosis; cerebral venous thrombosis; hemorrhage expansion; intracranial hemorrhage.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Intracranial Hemorrhages / etiology*
  • Intracranial Hemorrhages / pathology*
  • Iran
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Risk Factors
  • Sinus Thrombosis, Intracranial / complications*