Cerebral venous thrombosis in elderly patients

Background and purpose

We aimed to report the characteristics of cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) in elderly people (aged ≥65 years).

Methods

This multicenter retrospective cohort included elderly patients hospitalized for a first CVT in nine Paris–Ile-de-France hospitals between 2011 and 2021. The estimated incidence was compared to CVT recorded by the French health insurance data system. Lariboisière Hospital's CVT registry allowed comparisons of our elderly cohort with individuals younger than 65 years.

Results

One hundred fourteen patients were included in this study (mean age = 74.2 years, range = 65–93, 61% female). The CVT annual incidence in Ile-de-France was 5.9–7.1 per million elderly individuals versus 8.5 per million nationwide. Headaches and focal deficits were the most common initial clinical features (50% and 51%, respectively), followed by seizures and confusion (40% and 27%). Treatment included anticoagulation (93%) and, rarely, endovascular procedure (2%) or craniectomy (1%). Compared with adult patients aged <65 years (younger adults), elderly patients presented fewer headaches (50% vs. 96%, p < 0.01) and intracranial hypertension (7% vs. 22%, p < 0.01) but more seizures and focal deficits (40% vs. 27% and 51% vs. 38%, respectively, p < 0.01). Underlying cancer, hemopathy, and locoregional infections were more frequent in elderly patients than among younger adults (p < 0.01). The prognosis of patients from our elderly cohort was poorer than that of younger adults; 8% died in the acute phase, and 73% had a favorable outcome at 1 year (vs. 1.7% and 87%, respectively, p < 0.01).

Conclusions

CVT in elderly patients has a specific clinical presentation, epidemiology, and risk factors such as cancer or hemopathy, justifying specialized management.