[Cerebral-vein thrombosis: retrospective study of twenty seven cases].
OBJECTIVE
Among the locations of venous thrombosis, even if rare, cerebral-vein thrombosis is a severe event with a high mortality rate. No aetiology is found in 20 to 30% of the cases. In recent years, inherited coagulation disorders have been described, as risk factors for venous thrombosis. We report the results of a retrospective study of 27 patients who suffered cerebral-vein thrombosis, in which coagulation abnormalities have been searched for.


METHODS
The patients were referred to the haemostasis laboratory of the Henri Mondor hospital between august 1982 and June 1988, after a cerebral-vein thrombosis. The predisposing factors, personal and family history of thromboembolism, clinical presentation, thrombosis location, evolution under treatment and long-term outcome, have been noted. Deficiencies in antithrombine, protein C, protein S, the Factor V Leiden and the G20210A prothrombin-gene mutation, the presence of lupus anticoagulant, of anticardiolipin antibodies as well as a hyperhomocysteinaemia have been searched, either at the initial presentation, or a posteriori.


RESULTS
Fourty-one percent of patients had a coagulation abnormality. The prevalence of the different abnormalities was: inherited deficiency in AT 7.4%, in PC 8%, in PS 12.5%, factor V Leiden mutation 12%, G20210A prothrombin-gene mutation 12%. Two patients had combined defects: AT and PC deficiency in one, F V Leiden and F II G20210A mutations in one. e of the patient had lupus anticoagulant. Three patients had a significant rate of anticardiolipin antibodies. Five patients out of eight displayed a moderate hyperhomocysteinaemia. Nothing (past history, age, predisposing factors) distinguished those patients bearing a coagulation disorder from the others. The venous thromboembolic relapse rate of 15 % (4/27 patients). Three of them had an inherited thrombophilic abnormality.


CONCLUSIONS
We recommend an investigation of the haemostasis after every cerebral venous thrombosis.
Rosenstingl
S
S
Service de médecine interne, hôpital Henri-Mondor, 94000 Créteil, France. rosenstingl.s@caramail.com
Ruivard
M
M
Melon
E
E
Schaeffer
A
A
Gouault-Heilmann
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D020767:Intracranial Thrombosis / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies