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

Objectives Current guidelines do not recommend direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC) to treat cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) despite their benefits over standard therapy. We performed a systematic review to summarize the published experience of DOAC therapy in CVT. Data sources MEDLINE, EMBASE, and COCHRANE databases up to November 18, 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 hemorrhage (ICH), or other adverse events. Efficacy data included recurrent CVT, recanalization rates, and disability by modified Rankin Scales (mRS). Results 33 studies met inclusion criteria. One randomized controlled trial, 5 observational cohorts, and 27 case series or studies reported ...