by Lauren Taylor from In The Cloud Copy

A cerebral venous thrombosis or CVT can happen when a clot is formed in the venous sinuses of the brain. This clot inhibits the blood in the brain from moving out, resulting in blood cells breaking and leaking blood into the brain tissue, ultimately resulting in a hemorrhage. CVTs can occur in both children and adults. This series of events listed is part of a stroke. A CVT is a very rare type of stroke, affecting only about 5 per 1 million people annually.

The risk factors associated with this type of stroke may include sickle cell anemia, chronic hemolytic anemia, beta-thalassemia, diseases and conditions of the heart, low iron, certain types of infection, dehydration, problems with the way in which the body forms blood clots, head injury, cancer, obesity, decreased blood pressure or hypotension in the brain, GI conditions, and collagen vascular diseases. The symptoms one may experience vary but may include headache, blurry vision, fainting and/or loss of consciousness, seizures, coma, and losing control over part of the body’s movements.

These particular types of stroke are typically diagnosed using a variety of tests and imaging studies. Some of the studies used for diagnosis may include an MRI, CT, ultrasound, venography, or angiography. Blood tests may also be conducted. Patients are ultimately treated depending on severity, which may include fluids, antibiotics (if an infection is present), anti-seizure medications, monitoring and controlling of intracranial pressure, surgery, anticoagulants, and rehabilitation. If left untreated, a CVT carries a mortality rate of approximately 13.8-48%, while 25% to 30% of patients will exhibit a full recovery.

Incidence of CVT Three Times Higher Than Originally Thought

While CVT incidence is considered low, recent findings suggest that the United States incidence is likely three times higher than originally reported. A large study was conducted for patients and inpatients in the states of Florida and New York, showing that the incidence of CVT increased from a rate of 13.9 cases per million in 2006 to 20.2 cases per million in 2014. Further research showed that these increases were mostly seen in men and women who were aged 45 and over.

While research had been done in the past on CVT incidence, it is believed that much of this data was collected before much of the noninvasive diagnostic technologies started being used in regular practice. This may mean that CVTs were always occurring at these rates but were possibly just under detected in the past due to poor diagnostic testing capabilities.

The aims of this particular study were focused on collecting data to quantify current racial, age, and sex-specific rates of CVT in the United States alone, study any trends in the incidence of CVT, study the overall load of CVT hospitalizations, and look at trends surrounding the prevalence of CVT over the past ten years. Researchers chose the states of New York and Florida due to their large size, diverse populations, and the fact that their two populations represent over 10% of the United States population, indicating that they are likely fairly representative of the nation as a whole.

Find the study abstract here.

Read more about this subject here.