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Ischemic strokes in children
1Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University Medical Center Indianapolis 46202, USA.
Insights
Childhood ischemic stroke, though uncommon, causes significant disability. While symptoms overlap with adults, fever and seizures are more frequent in children, with many cases having unknown causes and long-term effects.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Pediatrics
- Vascular Medicine
Background:
- Ischemic stroke is an infrequent yet significant cause of childhood disability.
- Pediatric stroke patients exhibit predictable neurological deficits, similar to adults.
- Fever and seizures are more common during stroke onset in children compared to adults.
Purpose of the Study:
- To summarize the characteristics, etiologies, and prognoses of ischemic stroke in children.
- To highlight the differences in presentation and outcomes between pediatric and adult stroke patients.
- To underscore the need for further research into emerging therapies for pediatric stroke.
Main Methods:
- Review of clinical presentations and diagnostic evaluations for childhood ischemic stroke.
- Analysis of etiological factors contributing to pediatric strokes.
- Evaluation of long-term outcomes and sequelae in affected children.
Main Results:
- Diverse etiologies contribute to childhood strokes, with the cause remaining unknown in up to 50% of cases.
- Prognosis is often poor, with up to 50% of pediatric stroke survivors experiencing chronic sequelae.
- Pediatric stroke presentation includes predictable deficits, but with a higher incidence of fever and seizures.
Conclusions:
- Childhood ischemic stroke necessitates extensive evaluation due to varied causes and significant long-term disability.
- The prognosis for pediatric stroke is serious, emphasizing the need for improved diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.
- Further research into novel therapies is crucial to improve outcomes for children at risk of stroke.
Abstract:
Ischemic stroke is an uncommon, but significant cause of disability in childhood. Children with strokes present with predictable deficits as adults do; however, fever and seizures at stroke onset are more common in children than in adults. Strokes in children have diverse etiologies and require extensive evaluation. Etiology remains obscure in up to half of the patients. Prognosis in childhood stroke is not benign and up to 50% of pediatric stroke patients have chronic sequelae. Emerging therapies may alter prognosis in certain populations of children at risk for stroke, but more research is necessary.