A case report of oral contraceptive misuse induced cerebral venous sinus thrombosis and dural arteriovenous fistula

The Gridlock Between Chronic Cerebral Venous Thrombosis and Dural Arteriovenous Fistulas

Cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) is a rare condition that occurs when a blood clot forms in the veins that drain blood from the brain. The incidence of CVT is estimated to be 1.3-1.6 cases per 100,000 adults, with a higher prevalence in females than males. Dural arteriovenous fistulas (DAVFs) are abnormal connections between the dural sinuses and the venous system, which can occur as a complication of CVT. The incidence of DAVFs after a diagnosis of CVT is reported to be between 0.9 and 13%. It is believed that a thrombus in the cerebral venous system causes stagnation of blood flow leading to an increase in venous pressure and causing enlargement of pre-existing physiological arteriovenous shunts or neoangiogenesis, resulting in the development of a DAVF. However, it is difficult to establish a causal relationship between CVT and DAVF as most low-grade DAVFs are asymptomatic and lack evidence. High-grade DAVFs are considered to be a more serious form of the condition, as they are associated with a higher risk of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and other neurological complications. In our case series of a total of two cases, all were diagnosed first with CVT, and later in the follow-up imaging, chronic CVT with dural AV fistula was observed. This highlights the importance of long-term follow-up imaging in patients with CVT to detect any potential complications such as DAVF, especially in high-risk patients, and to ensure the prompt treatment to prevent serious complications.

Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis and dural arteriovenous fistula associated with protein S deficiency: a case series study

OBJECTIVE

To describe the characteristics of patients with cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) and dural arteriovenous fistula (AVF) associated with protein S (PS) deficiency.

METHODS

We conducted a search of medical records in Hainan General Hospital from January 2000 to December 2020 for coexistence of CVST and dural AVF associated with PS deficiency and searched PubMed、Embase and Chinese biomedical databases (CBM) for all literature describing CVST and dural AVF with PS. We analyzed clinical characteristics, location, sequence of CVST and dural AVF, level of PS, therapeutic methods and prognosis.

RESULTS

We presented 1 patient in our hospital's database combined CVST and dural AVF associated with PS, plus 5 cases reported in literature. The most common symptoms were headache, generalized seizure, disturbance of consciousness. The most frequent location of CVST was at internal cerebral vein, while transverse sinus, sigmoid sinus, parietal region in dural AVF. Two patients developed dural AVF several months or years after CVST. Clinical characteristics and level of PS were summarized.

CONCLUSION

These findings alert physicians to consider PS deficiency in patients who suffer from CVST, especially those combined with dural AVF.

Efficacy of intravascular mechanical thrombectomy combined with thrombolysis and anticoagulant therapy in the treatment of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis and its effect on neurological function and coagulation indices

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the efficacy of Solitaire AB stent mechanical thrombectomy combined with thrombolysis and anticoagulant therapy (AT) in the treatment of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) and its effect on neurological function and coagulation indices.

METHODS

Eighty-two patients with CVST were randomly divided into two groups according to the random number table method. The control group (n=41) were treated with arteriovenous thrombolysis combined with AT, and the observation group were treated with intravascular mechanical thrombectomy plus thrombolysis combined with AT. The effect of the treatment was evaluated 7 days after treatment, and a 6-month follow-up was conductedz after the course of treatment. The clinical efficacy, neurological function (National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), Modified Rankin Scale (mRS)), coagulation function, complications and prognosis were compared between the two groups.

RESULTS

The continuous improvement rate of clinical symptoms 7 days after treatment in the observation group (87.80%) was higher than that in the control group (58.54%) (P<0.01); The neurological function scores of both groups after treatment were lower than those before treatment (all P<0.001); The scores of NIHSS and mRS in the observation group were lower than those in the control group 7 days after treatment (all P<0.001). The coagulation indices of fibrinogen (FIB), prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) of 7 days after treatment in the observation group were shorter than those in the control group (all P<0.001), and the D-Dimer (D-D) level in the observation group was higher than that in the control group (P<0.001). The incidences of intracranial hemorrhage, infection, headache, quadriplegia, dizziness and drowsiness in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (all P<0.05). The recanalization rate of venous sinus in the observation group was higher than that in the control group 6 months after treatment (P<0.01).

CONCLUSION

Intravascular mechanical thrombectomy plus thrombolysis combined with AT for patients with CVST is effective, which can effectively improve the coagulation function and promote the recovery of neurological function, with fewer complications and a good prognosis.

Knowledge and beliefs about the use/abuse of oral contraceptive pills among males: A mixed-method explanatory sequential study in community pharmacy settings

BACKGROUND

Oral contraceptive pills (OCPs) are considered one of the most important birth control methods globally. However, these pills were designed for female administration rather than males. This study was designed to investigate patterns of OCPs use and abuse among Jordanian males, according to the community pharmacists' observations.

METHOD

A mixed-method explanatory sequential study was conducted using an online self-administered survey, followed by semi-structured in-depth interviews for registered pharmacists, assistant pharmacists and pharmacy interns. The interviews were utilized using a conceptual framework. Inductive thematic analysis and descriptive/regression analyses were completed using Nvivo and SPSS, respectively.

RESULTS

A total of 158 questionnaire responses and 22 interviews were included in our analysis. Around half (48.4%) of the questionnaire responses confirmed that males could use OCPs for hair growth enhancement, muscle gain and acne treatment 12.7%, 31.7% and 4.4%, respectively. Through the interviews, the participating pharmacists highlighted that males use OCPs mostly for bodybuilding purposes, according to recommendations by their coaches at the gym. The most abused OCPs containing estrogen (Ethinyl estradiol) and progestins (Drospirenone or Levonorgestrel).

CONCLUSION

This study provided insight into unexpected uses of OCPs by males in Jordan. Community pharmacists have a crucial role in the management of OCPs use and abuse. However, restricted regulations and monitoring must be released and implemented on the community to limit such practices.

Direct oral anticoagulants in treatment of cerebral venous thrombosis: a systematic review

OBJECTIVES

Current guidelines do not recommend direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) to treat cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) despite their benefits over standard therapy. We performed a systematic review to summarise the published experience of DOAC therapy in CVT.

DATA SOURCES

MEDLINE, Embase and COCHRANE databases up to 18 November 2020.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

All published articles of patients with CVT treated with DOAC were included. Studies without follow-up information were excluded.

DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS

Two independent reviewers screened articles and extracted data. A risk of bias analysis was performed.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES

Safety data included mortality, intracranial haemorrhage (ICH) or other adverse events. Efficacy data included recurrent CVT, recanalisation rates and disability by modified Rankin Scales (mRS).

RESULTS

33 studies met inclusion criteria. One randomised controlled trial, 5 observational cohorts and 27 case series or studies reported 279 patients treated with DOAC for CVT: 41% dabigatran, 47% rivaroxaban, 10% apixaban and 2% edoxaban, in addition to 315 patients treated with standard therapy. The observational cohorts showed a similar risk of death in DOAC and standard therapy arms (RR 2.12, 95% CI 0.29 to 15.59). New ICH was reported in 2 (0.7%) DOAC-treated patients and recurrent CVT occurred in 4 (1.5%). A favourable mRS between 0 and 2 was reported in 94% of DOAC-treated patients, more likely than standard therapy in observational cohorts (RR 1.13, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.25).

CONCLUSION

The evidence for DOAC use in CVT is limited although suggests sufficient safety and efficacy despite variability in timing and dose of treatment. This systematic review highlights that further rigorous trials are needed to validate these findings and to determine optimal treatment regimens.

Cyclosporine-A-Induced Intracranial Thrombotic Complications: Systematic Review and Cases Report

This study reported two cases of intracranial thrombotic events of aplastic anemia (AA) under therapy with cyclosporine-A (CsA) and reviewed both drug-induced cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) and CsA-related thrombotic events systematically. We searched PubMed Central (PMC) and EMBASE up to Sep 2019 for publications on drug-induced CVT and Cs-A-induced thrombotic events. Medical subject headings and Emtree headings were used with the following keywords: "cyclosporine-A" and "cerebral venous thrombosis OR cerebral vein thrombosis" and "stroke OR Brain Ischemia OR Brain Infarction OR cerebral infarction OR intracerebral hemorrhage OR intracranial hemorrhage." We found that CsA might be a significant risk factor in inducing not only CVT but also cerebral arterial thrombosis in patients with AA.

Unforeseen uses of oral contraceptive pills: Exploratory study in Jordanian community pharmacies

Background

The use of oral contraceptive pills (OCPs) as a birth control method is very common worldwide. OCPs have many other labeled non-contraceptive indications, and as a result there is an associated risk of improper use, as with any other medications. This study was designed to assess the unforeseen improper uses of OCPs observed by community pharmacists in Jordan.

Method

A cross-sectional study design was conducted using a self-administered survey. A convenience sample (n = 380) of Jordanian community pharmacists, were recruited through social media resources. The survey included multiple-choice and open-ended questions. Descriptive statistics and correlation analyses were completed using SPSS.

Results

More than half of the recruited pharmacists (55.3%) were female, and the mean age of the participants was 32.58 ± 9.94. The majority of the pharmacists (85%) had good knowledge about the non-contraceptive indications of OCPs. About 53% of them confirmed their exposure to cases of the improper use of OCPs. About 67.5% of the pharmacists who confirmed exposure to such cases, reported the topical use of OCPs for the enhancement of hair growth. Around 15% of those pharmacists stated that OCPs were used to give negative results for addictive drug screening tests. In the event that the pharmacists suspected improper use, more than 90% suggested they would refrain from dispensing the pills.

Conclusion

This study has spotlighted many unforeseen uses of OCPs in Jordan and highlighted the need for restricted national regulations on the monitoring of OCP prescription/selling patterns in Jordan by policymakers. Moreover, there is a need for the establishment of national educational programs for the Jordanian community regarding the safe proper use of OCPs.