An assessment of cerebral venous thrombosis risk factors and associated clinical outcomes in Jazan region, Saudi Arabia

OBJECTIVES: To assess cerebral venous thrombosis risk factors, and associated clinical outcomes in Jazan region, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. METHODS: This study is a retrospective review of the medical records of patients diagnosed with cerebral venous thrombosis and admitted to King Fahad Central Hospital in Jazan between 2010 and 2019. Data concerning socio-demographics, clinical features, risk factors, laboratory, and imaging investigations were retrieved. Furthermore, data about cases management, and outcomes, including death, were collected and analysed. RESULTS: A total of 51 medical records were identified. The majority of the patients were females (68.6%), and the mean age of the patients was 33.3 years, of which three patients were under 18 years old. The most frequently recorded symptom was headache (76.5%), followed by seizure (45.1%). The most commonly recorded risk factor was protein S deficiency (57%), followed by anaemia (51%). Venous infarction and haemorrhage were the most common acute complications (13.7%). The majority of the patients had a favourable prognosis where only 27.5% recovered with disability and only one patient died due to the disease. CONCLUSION: Clinical presentation of cerebral venous thrombosis in Jazan region is similar to other local and international studies. However, anaemia was recorded as a main risk factor for the disease, which might require further investigation to assess the possible association between prevalence of anaemia in Jazan region and the incidence of cerebral venous thrombosis.