Genetic or acquired conditions causing thrombosis are considered as risk factors for developing cerebral venous sinus thrombosis.

There are more than 100 different causes of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVT). Virchow’s principles (blood stasis, modification of vascular wall, and blood rheology) should be used to identify all the predisposing conditions for CVT. There are also some genetic and acquired causes leading to CVT. In the cohort of an International study of cerebral vein and dural sinus thrombosis(ISCVT), 34% of patients had thrombophilia while 22% of them had acquired thrombophilia.^[1][2]

Genetic prothrombotic causes ^[1][2]

– Antithrombin deficiency

– Protein C and S deficiency

– Factor v Leiden mutation

– Resistance to activated protein C

– prothrombin mutation (A–G at position 20210)

– mutations leading to homocysteinemia

– methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR)

Acquired Prothrombotic States^[1][2]

– pregnancy

– puerperium

– homocysteinemia

– antiphospholipid antibody

– nephrotic syndrome

Infection ^[1][2]

– meningitis

– otitis

– mastoiditis

– sinusitis

– neck, face, mouth infection

– systemic infectious diseases

– AIDS

Inflammatory Autoimmune Diseases^[1][2]

– systemic lupus erythematosus

– Adamantiades-Behçet disease

– Wegener granulomatosis

– sarcoidosis

– inflammatory bowel disease

– thromboangiitis obliterans

Hematology^[1][2]

– polycythemia

– thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura

– thrombocythemia

– severe anemia and autoimmune hemolytic anemia

– paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria

– heparin-induced thrombocytopenia

Drugs^[1][2]

– oral contraceptives

– lithium, androgens

– sumatriptan

– intravenous immunoglobulin

– hormone replacement therapy

– asparaginase

– steroids

– illicit drugs (such as ecstasy)

Mechanical Causes^[1][2]

– head trauma

– neurosurgical procedures

– jugular vein catheterization

– lumbar puncture

– injury to cerebral sinuses

– intravenous drug abuse

Malignancy^[2]

– CNS tumors

– systemic malignancies

– ”’solid”’ tumors outside [[CNS]]

Other Causes^[1][2]

– dehydration, especially in children

– toxicosis

– arteriovenous malformations

– dural fistulae

– congenital heart disease

– post radiation