Mortality of cerebral venous-sinus thrombosis in a large national sample

Abstract

Background and purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the mortality rates associated with cerebral venous-sinus thrombosis in a large national sample.

Methods: A cohort of patients with cerebral venous-sinus thrombosis was identified from the National Inpatient Sample database for the years 2000 to 2007. According to the International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification codes, cerebral venous-sinus thrombosis is categorized into pyogenic and nonpyogenic groups. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to assess covariates associated with hospital mortality.

Results: Among 3488 patients, the overall mortality rate was 4.39%, which was nonsignificantly higher among the pyogenic group (4.55% versus 3.52%; OR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.47-1.23). In the pyogenic cerebral venous-sinus thrombosis group, hematologic disorders were the most frequent predisposing condition (16.2%); whereas systemic malignancy followed by hematologic disorders were most common in the nonpyogenic group (14.08% and 10.04%, respectively). Predictors of mortality included age, intracerebral hemorrhage as well as the predisposing conditions of hematologic disorders, systemic malignancy, and central nervous system infection.

Conclusions: Compared with arterial stroke, CVST harbors a relatively low mortality rate. Death is determined by age, the presence of intracerebral hemorrhage, and certain predisposing conditions.