[Cerebral venous thrombosis: long-term functional and cognitive outcome in 16 patients]. / Thrombose veineuse cérébrale: étude du devenir fonctionnel et cognitif de 16 cas.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Although the prognosis of cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) is better than previously reported, long-term behavioral and cognitive sequelae have not been systematically investigated. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term functional and cognitive outcome in CVT patients. METHODS: We included all patients admitted to the Neurology department of the Amiens university hospital between January 1997 and December 2002 with the diagnosis of CVT. Outcome between April and June 2003 was evaluated. Patients with cognitive complaints or impaired, MMSE were assessed using a standardized neuropsychological battery and behavioral disorder assessment. RESULTS: Among the 26 patients fulfilling inclusion criteria, 16agreed to participate and formed the study population (13 women; median age 46.8years). The median follow-up was 34.5months. Functional ability assessed using the modified Rankin Scale (mRk) was relatively spared (mRk=0; n=6; mRk=1; n=6; mRk=2; n=4). Ten patients with cognitive complaints underwent a detailed neuropsychological assessment it revealed deficits of long-term memory and executive functions. CONCLUSIONS: Despite relatively good functional long-term outcome, our results indicate that CVT patients suffer from long-term memory deficit and moderate executive dysfunction. Such a pattern is close to that observed in arterial stroke although less severe and this warrants a larger study.