Cerebral venous thrombosis in Behçet's disease

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinical findings, treatment, outcome, and prevalence of cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) in a large cohort of patients with Behçet's disease (BD) from a single center. METHODS: We reported a series of 64 consecutive patients with CVT who fulfilled the international criteria for BD. Multivariate analysis was performed to define factors that affect prognosis. RESULTS: Among a cohort of 820 patients with BD, CVT was present in 64 (7.8%). Compared with BD patients without CVT, those with CVT had lower parenchymal central nervous system involvement (4.7% versus 28.7%; P = 0.0001) and higher extraneurologic vascular lesions (62.5% versus 38.8%; P = 0.03). Up to 90% of patients responded to anticoagulation therapy without severe hemorrhagic complications. Neither steroid nor immunosuppressant use provided better outcome. Severe visual loss due to optic atrophy was the main complication of CVT, being found in 15% of patients. In multivariate analysis, papilledema (odds ratio OR 7.1, 95% confidence interval 95% CI 1.6-31.9) and concurrent prothrombotic risk factors (OR 4.6, 95% CI 1.1-20.2) were independently associated with the occurrence of sequelae. Factors associated with relapse of thrombosis were concurrent prothrombotic risk factors (hazard ratio HR 4.9, 95% CI 1.5-15.4) and a peripheral venous thrombosis (HR 2.8, 95% CI 0.7-10.5). After a mean +/- SD followup of 8.2 +/- 6.9 years, 4 deaths unrelated to CVT were noted. CONCLUSION: CVT in patients with BD may result in serious neurologic outcomes. Anticoagulation represents a safe and effective therapy. Extensive investigation of prothrombotic disorders should be considered.