Clinical features and predictors of early neurological deterioration in patients with Trousseau syndrome-related cerebral infarction

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to explore the clinical features of Trousseau syndrome (TS)-related cerebral infarction and determine predictors of early neurological deterioration (END).

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on patients with TS-related cerebral infarction admitted to the Zhongshan Hospital Affiliated with Xiamen University, from December 2015 to December 2023. Patients were categorized into groups with and without END. The laboratory findings and imaging data were compared, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed to determine the best predictors of END.

Results: The study included 30 patients with TS-related cerebral infarction, comprising 17 males and 13 females with an average age of 70.93 ± 8.7 years. Five patients experienced END. Lung cancer was the most common primary malignancy (n=13, 43.33%), with most patients (n=22, 73.33%) having stage IV disease with extensive metastasis. The primary neurological symptom was hemiplegia (n=17, 56.67%). The mean NIHSS score at admission was 9.33 ± 5.83. Imaging revealed varying stages of cerebral infarction in 10 patients (38.46%). Within three months, 25 patients (83.33%) died, 8 of whom (32%) succumbed to tumor-related complications. The incidence of END in TS-related cerebral infarction patients was 16.67% (5/30). Patients in the END group had significantly greater D-dimer levels and lower fibrinogen (Fib) levels upon admission (P < 0.001, P = 0.042). Comparisons of ROC curves revealed that D-dimer (AUC 0.916, optimal cutoff 17.86, sensitivity 1.000, specificity 0.840) and Fib (AUC 0.788, optimal cutoff 2.54, sensitivity 1.000, specificity 0.740) significantly predicted END (P = 0.004, P = 0.045). The combined use of these markers improved the AUC to 0.952, with a sensitivity of 1.00 and specificity of 0.920, surpassing those of the individual markers (P = 0.002).

Conclusion: TS-related cerebral infarction most commonly occurs in patients with advanced-stage lung cancer with widespread metastasis and is associated with poor long-term prognosis. Elevated D-dimer and decreased fibrinogen levels are significant predictors of END in patients with TS-related cerebral infarction.