Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis associated with SARS-CoV-2; a multinational case series

Highlights

• Coagulopathy is a known feature of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

• Only few cases of CVST associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection have been reported.

• A series of 13 cases of CVST associated with SARS-CoV-2 has been described.

• CVST patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection, were older and had a lower rate of identified CVST risk factors.

• Cortical veins involvement and in-hospital mortality were more frequent in SARS-CoV-2 infected CVST patients.

Abstract

Background

SARS-CoV-2 induced coagulopathy can lead to thrombotic complications such as stroke. Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) is a less common type of stroke which might be triggered by COVID-19. We present a series of CVST cases with SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Methods

In a multinational retrospective study, we collected all cases of CVST in SARS-CoV-2 infected patients admitted to nine tertiary stroke centers from the beginning of the pandemic to June 30th, 2020. We compared the demographics, clinical and radiological characteristics, risk factors, and outcome of these patients with a control group of non-SARS-CoV-2 infected CVST patients in the same seasonal period of the years 2012–2016 from the country where the majority of cases were recruited.

Results

A total of 13 patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria (62% women, mean age 50.9 ± 11.2 years). Six patients were discharged with good outcomes (mRS ≤ 2) and three patients died in hospital. Compared to the control group, the SARS-CoV-2 infected patients were significantly older (50.9 versus 36.7 years, p < 0.001), had a lower rate of identified CVST risk factors (23.1% versus 84.2%, p < 0.001), had more frequent cortical vein involvement (38.5% versus 10.5%, p: 0.025), and a non-significant higher rate of in-hospital mortality (23.1% versus 5.3%, p: 0.073).

Conclusion

CVST should be considered as potential comorbidity in SARS-CoV-2 infected patients presenting with neurological symptoms. Our data suggest that compared to non-SARS-CoV-2 infected patients, CVST occurs in older patients, with lower rates of known CVST risk factors and might lead to a poorer outcome in the SARS-CoV-2 infected group.