[Cerebral venous thrombosis: long-term functional and cognitive outcome in 16 patients].
BACKGROUND
Although the prognosis of cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) is better than previously reported, long-term behavioral and cognitive sequelae have not been systematically investigated.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term functional and cognitive outcome in CVT patients.


METHODS
We included all patients admitted to the Neurology department of the Amiens university hospital between January 1997 and December 2002 with the diagnosis of CVT. Outcome between April and June 2003 was evaluated. Patients with cognitive complaints or impaired, MMSE were assessed using a standardized neuropsychological battery and behavioral disorder assessment.


RESULTS
Among the 26 patients fulfilling inclusion criteria, 16agreed to participate and formed the study population (13 women; median age: 46.8years). The median follow-up was 34.5months. Functional ability assessed using the modified Rankin Scale (mRk) was relatively spared (mRk=0; n=6; mRk=1; n=6; mRk=2; n=4). Ten patients with cognitive complaints underwent a detailed neuropsychological assessment: it revealed deficits of long-term memory and executive functions.


CONCLUSIONS
Despite relatively good functional long-term outcome, our results indicate that CVT patients suffer from long-term memory deficit and moderate executive dysfunction. Such a pattern is close to that observed in arterial stroke although less severe and this warrants a larger study.
Bugnicourt
J-M
JM
Service de neurologie, CHU d'Amiens, place Victor-Pauchet, 80054 Amiens cedex, France. bugnicourt.jean-marc@chu-amiens.fr
Roussel-Pieronne
M
M
Dupuy-Sonntag
D
D
Canaple
S
S
Godefroy
O
O
D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D000368:Aged; D000374:Aggression; D003071:Cognition; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020767:Intracranial Thrombosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory; D008875:Middle Aged; D012919:Social Behavior; D013060:Speech; D016896:Treatment Outcome