Nephrotic syndrome is associated with a hypercoagulable state and an increased risk
of thromboembolic complications. Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis is a rare
complication of nephrotic syndrome, with few cases described in the literature,
although the disease may be under-diagnosis. The true incidence of cerebral venous
sinus thrombosis may be underestimated because many events are asymptomatic or are
not diagnosed in time. Here, we describe the case of a male child, 2 years and 10
months old, with nephrotic syndrome presenting with headache, epileptic seizures and
sensory inhibition who was diagnosed with superior sagittal and transverse sinuses
thrombosis. An international literature review was performed with a defined search
strategy in the PubMed, SciELO and Lilacs databases using the terms ‘nephrotic
syndrome’ and ‘cerebral sinovenous thrombosis’. The diagnosis of venous thrombosis
should be considered in any patient with nephrotic syndrome who presents with
neurological signs and symptoms, as early clinical diagnosis promotes favorable
outcomes.