Cerebral Venous Thrombosis (CVT) is a rare type of stroke caused by a blood clot in the veins that drain blood from the brain. It mainly affects younger adults and can lead to severe disability or death if treatment is delayed. This study used data from the Hospital-Based Stroke Registry (HBSR) of the National Stroke Registry Programme, coordinated by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)–National Institute of NCD Epidemiology (ICMR-NINE), to describe CVT in India.
The study analysed 575 patients with confirmed CVT registered between January 2020 and December 2022 from 11 Hospital-Based Stroke Registries across India. This cross-sectional study used prospectively collected data on clinical features, brain imaging, treatment, risk factors, and recovery.
Among nearly 35,000 registered stroke patients, CVT accounted for 1.6% of all strokes. Most patients were young adults (average age 38 years), nearly three-quarters were aged 18–44 years, and about 60% were men. The most common symptoms were headache, weakness, and seizures. Brain haemorrhage and clots involving multiple brain veins were common. The leading risk factors were anaemia, alcohol use, and high homocysteine levels. Most patients received blood-thinning medicines. By three months, three-quarters had recovered well, but about 1 in 11 patients died. Older age (45 years or above), reduced consciousness, difficulty swallowing, and delayed arrival at hospital were linked to a higher risk of death.
Most evidence on CVT comes from Europe and North America, where it is more common in young women. This large multicentre Indian study confirms findings from smaller South Asian studies that, unlike in Western countries, CVT mainly affects young men and is associated with preventable risk factors.
The high burden of preventable risk factors, including anaemia and alcohol use, highlights the need for targeted awareness, early screening, and stronger prevention programmes. These findings can support in identifying high-risk patients and ensuring timely treatment and follow-up, while helping public health programmes and policymakers improve referral systems, diagnostic access, specialist care, and treatment.