A Study of the Correlation of Pulsatility Index by Transcranial Doppler in the Clinical Outcome of Patients with Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis

Abstract

Background: Cerebral Venous Thrombosis (CVT), accounting for 3% of strokes, can be assessed using non-invasive Transcranial Doppler (TCD) ultrasound to measure cerebrovascular function in real-time. The TCD-derived pulsatility index (PI), highly correlates with intracranial pressure (ICP) and serves as a reliable non-invasive monitoring tool. Aim: This study aims to correlate PI by TCD with clinical outcomes in CVT patients. Methods: A prospective observational study of 41 CVT patients admitted between June 2022 to December 2022 was conducted in the Department of Neurology of MBS Hospital. Each patient was subjected to TCD and the PI was also recorded. The results were analysed with SPSS. Results: Out of the 41 patients, two patients died and 39 patients were discharged. The PI at admission in the left middle cerebral artery (MCA) was 1.19 ± 0.20 amongst discharged and 1.64 ± 0.10 amongst those who died ( p = .003). Similarly, the PI at admission in the right MCA was 1.23 ± 0.21 amongst those discharged and 1.63 ± 0.20 amongst those who died ( p = .02). Also, PI in both left and right MCA positively and significantly correlated with CVT GS score at admission (r = 0.70, p < .05; r = 0.64, p < .05). Conclusion: PI at admission is both right and left MCA was found to be significantly higher in patients who died during the hospital stay. Also, PI significantly correlated with the CVT GS score at the presentation. Thus, PI at admission by TCD can predict the clinical outcome of patients with CVT.