The Novel Oral Anticoagulants (NOACs) for the Treatment of Cerebral Venous Thrombosis: A Case Study of 32 Vietnamese Patients

Background and Purpose: Cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) is a rare cause of cerebral infarction with diverse clinical presentations and outcomes. Novel oral anticoagulants (NOACs) provide an alternative option of systemic anticoagulation in various thromboembolic conditions, but uncertainty exists over the use of NOACs among patients with CVT. We present our initial experience with the use of NOACs for CVT in Vietnam. Methods: We included consecutive patients diagnosed with CVT presenting to 115 People’s Hospital in Vietnam between May 2016 and July 2017 and who were treated with NOACs. Data on patient demographics, vascular risk factors, clinical presentations, and outcomes at 180 days follow-up were obtained and analyzed. Modified Rankin scale (mRS) scores on admission, at discharge, and 180 days were assessed. Recanalization was assessed using magnetic resonance venography at 180 days follow-up. Venous thrombo-embolism events were defined as primary outcome, while bleeding complications were defined as safety outcome. Results: Among 32 patients with CVT (72% females; mean age: 40 ± 9.7 years), 15 were treated with rivaroxaban and 17 with dabigatran. A common risk factor was the usage of oral contraception (70%) on presentation. The mean mRS score on admission was 3.1 points (± 1.4). At FUP (median 8.5 months, IQR 5.5-9.5), clinical outcome (mRS ≤ 1) was excellent in most patients. All patients had at least partial recanalization and half of them achieved complete recanalization at 180 days follow-up. There were no bleeding complications. Conclusion: NOACs may offer clinical benefits with minimal complications in the treatment of CVT. Further prospective assessment with randomized controlled studies is warranted.