Dural sinus thrombosis at King Hussein medical center

Abstract EN

The aim of this study was to identify the major risk factors for dural sinus thrombosis at KHMC between November 1992 and November 1995.

Sixty two patients (24 males, 38 females) presented with signs and symptoms of increased intracranial pressure over that period of three years.

Twenty six (18 males, 8females, aged 15 to 44 years) proved to have dural sinus thrombosis.

In descending order of occurrence the risk factors for dural sinus thrombosis were found to be Behcet's disease, lupus anticoagulant, malignancy, Protein C deficiency, a hypercoagulability state associated with the immediate postpartum period, and essential thrombocythaemia.

We conclude that, for patients presenting with signs and symptoms of increased intracranial pressure, an initial normal brain CT scan does not exclude the diagnosis of dural sinus thrombosis, and the patients should be further evaluated by MRI and/or MRA.