Cerebral vein thrombosis Epidemiology

• Cerebral Vein Thrombosis (CVT), also used as cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) is a rare stroke subtype, with higher incidence among females. Clinical manifestations include headache from increased intracranial pressure, seizures, focal deficits, encephalopathy or coma due to venous occlusion, and regional symptoms like periorbital pain and cranial nerve palsies in cavernous sinus involvement.
• Secondary research from a US-based study revealed that while approximately two-thirds of initial CVT hospitalizations involved female patients, recent temporal trends show a decline in female predominance. Notably, there has been an 88.6% increase in CVT hospitalizations among male patients, indicating a gradual shift in the gender distribution of CVT cases over time.
• Secondary analysis from several European studies suggests that CVT remains a very rare neurological condition, with reported incidence rates ranging from 0.22 to 1.75 cases per 100,000 person-years.
• CVT often presents with vague, nonspecific symptoms such as headache or visual disturbances, making early recognition challenging. Additionally, gaps in understanding its underlying pathophysiology contribute to delayed diagnosis and hinder the development of precise, targeted diagnostic approaches.
• Despite advancements in neuroimaging, early and accurate diagnosis of CVT remains challenging due to its nonspecific symptoms and clinical overlap with other neurological conditions. A key unmet need lies in developing rapid, accessible diagnostic tools and standardized protocols to reduce delays and improve outcomes, especially in resource-limited settings. 

DelveInsight’s “Cerebral Vein Thrombosis (CVT) – Epidemiology Forecast – 2034” report delivers an in-depth understanding of CVT, historical and forecasted epidemiology trends in the United States, EU4 (Germany, France, Italy, Spain), the United Kingdom, and Japan. 

Geography Covered

• The United States
• EU4 (Germany, France, Italy, and Spain) and the United Kingdom
• Japan

Study Period: 2020–2034

Disease Understanding

Cerebral Vein Thrombosis (CVT) Overview

CVT is a rare condition characterized by a blood clot forming in the brain’s venous sinuses or cerebral veins, impairing blood drainage and causing increased intracranial pressure. Common signs and symptoms include severe headache, visual disturbances, neurological deficits such as unilateral weakness, seizures, and sometimes stroke-like symptoms. Causes are multifactorial, often related to hypercoagulable states including inherited thrombophilias (e.g., Factor V Leiden mutation), pregnancy, oral contraceptive use, infections, malignancy, and inflammatory diseases. Mechanical factors such as trauma or neurosurgery also contribute. Pathophysiologically, thrombosis blocks venous outflow leading to venous infarction, cerebral edema (vasogenic and cytotoxic), and petechial hemorrhages. This venous obstruction decreases cerebrospinal fluid absorption, raising intracranial pressure but typically not causing hydrocephalus. 

Cerebral Vein Thrombosis (CVT) Diagnosis

CVST diagnosis is fundamentally clinical, guided by presenting symptoms such as headache, seizures, or focal neurological deficits. Initial neuroimaging typically Computed Tomography (CT) or Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is performed to evaluate patients with nonspecific acute neurological presentations. While CT may show indirect signs like hyper dense sinuses or venous infarcts, MRI combined with MR venography offers superior sensitivity for detecting thrombi and assessing venous flow. Due to its variable and often subtle presentation, CVST requires high clinical suspicion, particularly in patients with prothrombotic risk factors. Timely and accurate diagnosis is essential to initiate anticoagulation therapy and prevent potentially life-threatening complications. 

Further details related to diagnosis are provided in the report…

Cerebral Vein Thrombosis (CVT) Epidemiology

The CVT epidemiology chapter in the report provides historical as well as forecasted epidemiology segmented by incident cases of stroke, incident cases of CVT, and gender-specific incident cases of CVT in the 7MM covering, the United States, EU4 countries (Germany, France, Italy, and Spain), the United Kingdom, and Japan from 2020 to 2034. 

• Secondary data indicates that CVT accounted for approximately 0.23% of all stroke cases in Japan, highlighting its rarity among the broader spectrum of cerebrovascular events.
• In the US, secondary data indicates that CVT occurs at a rate of approximately 14.7 cases per one million people. 
• Analytical interpretation of secondary data from Germany reveals that the incidence of CVT was estimated at 0.5 cases per 100,000 person-years, underscoring its classification as a rare vascular condition.
• Secondary analysis conducted in Italy revealed a sex-specific variation in disease incidence, with an estimated 7.8 cases per 1,000,000 inhabitants among males, compared to 15.1 per 1,000,000 among females. These findings underscore a significantly higher burden of disease in the female population within this geographic context.

KOL Views

DelveInsight’s analysts collaborated with over 50 key opinion leaders (KOLs), conducting in-depth interviews with more than 15 experts across the 7MM. To keep pace with dynamic market trends, the team gathered first-hand insights from KOLs and subject matter experts (SMEs) through primary research, addressing data limitations and reinforcing findings from secondary research. These professionals offered valuable input on the CVT landscape, highlighting patient behavior trends, and challenges in access to care. Contributors included experts from renowned institutions such as the Department of Neurology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, US, Rheinisch-Westfälische Techische Hochschule (RWTH) Aachen University, Germany, AP-HP Hôpital Lariboisière-Service de Neurologie, Paris, France, Medical and Surgical Department, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias, Oviedo, Spain, University of Manchester, the UK, Toda Chuo General Hospital, Toda, Saitama, Japan, among others.

As per the KOLs from the US, The FXII TT genotype may contribute to a heightened risk of developing severe CVT. However, considering the complex and dual function of Factor XII in both coagulation and fibrinolysis, it is also possible that this genotype could offer some protection against a progressive or potentially fatal progression of the disease.

Based on expert perspectives obtained from KOLs in the UK, It’s well known that viral infections such as influenza can trigger clotting abnormalities, significantly increasing the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Given this precedent, it’s understandable that COVID-19 exhibits similar prothrombotic effects, further highlighting the vascular complications associated with viral illnesses.

According to insights shared by KOLs from Japan, Thrombosis of cerebral veins or sinuses is an uncommon complication of nephrotic syndrome. The condition’s hypercoagulable state typically leads to thrombotic events in the deep veins of the lower limbs or the renal vein. Cerebral involvement is considered rare, highlighting the need for vigilance in atypical presentations.

Scope of the Report

• The report covers a segment of executive summary, descriptive overview of CVT, explaining its causes, signs and symptoms, and currently available diagnostic algorithms and guidelines.
• Comprehensive insight has been provided into the epidemiology segments and forecasts, the future growth potential of diagnosis rate, disease progression, and diagnosis guidelines.
• The report provides an edge for understanding trends, expert insights/KOL views, and patient journeys in the 7MM.
• A detailed review of current challenges in establishing the diagnosis.

Cerebral Vein Thrombosis (CVT) Report Insights

• Patient Population
• Country-wise Epidemiology Distribution
• Incident Cases of Stroke 
• Incident Cases of CVT 
• Gender-specific Incident Cases of CVT

Cerebral Vein Thrombosis (CVT) Report Key Strengths

• 10 years Forecast
• The 7MM Coverage 

Key Questions

Epidemiology Insights

• What are the disease risk, burden, and unmet needs of CVT?
• What is the historical CVT patient population in the United States, EU4 (Germany, France, Italy, Spain) and the United Kingdom, and Japan?
• What would be the forecasted patient population of CVT at the 7MM level?
• What will be the growth opportunities across the 7MM with respect to the patient population pertaining to CVT?
• Out of the above-mentioned countries, which country would have the highest incidence population of CVT during the forecast period (2025–2034)?
• At what Compound annual growth rate (CAGR) the population is expected to grow across the 7MM during the forecast period (2025–2034)?

Reasons to Buy

• Insights on patient burden/disease incidence, evolution in diagnosis, and factors contributing to the change in the epidemiology of the disease during the forecast period.
• To analyze epidemiological trends of CVT across different regions and assess how these patterns may evolve in the coming years.
• Detailed insights on various factors hampering disease diagnosis and other existing diagnostic challenges.
• To understand the perspective of key opinion leaders (KOL) around the current challenges with establishing the diagnosis options.