Clinical course of untreated cerebral cavernous malformations: individual patient data meta-analysis

Method From a systematic review, we identified three prospective or retrospective hospital-based cohorts (Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN; Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto; and Hôpital Lariboisière, Paris) and one prospective population-based cohort (Scotland) that could provide detailed data regarding clinical outcome between diagnosis and CCM treatment or last follow-up in adults with CCM. We will describe baseline characteristics and use survival analysis to calculate the risks of outcomes at specific times and identify their predictors using adjusted hazard ratios. We will pool the estimates from each study in meta-analyses using random-effects models, and quantify and investigate any heterogeneity between studies.