Arterial ischemic stroke in childhood: the role of plasma-phase risk factors
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Updated: Oct 1, 2026

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Published on: April 21, 2017
Eirini Nestoridi1, Ferdinando S Buonanno, Robin M Jones
1Massachusetts General Hospital-Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, USA.
Insights
Plasma-phase risk factors for pediatric stroke remain unclear, especially in newborns and children with sickle cell disease. Further research is needed to understand their role in childhood stroke pathogenesis and treatment.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurology
- Hematology
- Vascular Medicine
Background:
- The role of plasma-phase risk factors in pediatric stroke is poorly understood due to limited large-scale prospective studies.
- Risk factors vary significantly across different pediatric age groups, including newborns, children with sickle cell disease, and older children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current understanding of plasma-phase risk factors in pediatric stroke.
- To highlight the need for further research into the specific mechanisms and contributions of these factors in various pediatric populations.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on plasma-phase risk factors and pediatric stroke.
- Analysis of the differential impact of risk factors across age groups and specific conditions like sickle cell disease.
Main Results:
- Factor V Leiden, prothrombin 20210A, and lipoprotein (a) are implicated in arterial ischemic stroke in older children.
- The contribution of these factors to stroke in newborns and children with sickle cell disease is uncertain, with other mechanisms likely predominating.
Conclusions:
- Comprehensive evaluation of childhood stroke requires assessment of clinical presentation, imaging, and plasma-phase risk factors.
- Current therapeutic strategies, including anticoagulation and antiplatelet agents, primarily target older children.
Abstract:
The role of plasma-phase risk factors for stroke in the pediatric age group is presently unclear due to the lack of sufficiently large prospective studies, and due to the fact that these risk factors do not apply uniformly to newborns, children with sickle cell disease, and older children. Available evidence indicates that factor V Leiden, prothrombin 20210A, and lipoprotein (a) are all important in the pathogenesis of arterial ischemic stroke in older children, but the role of other plasma-phase risk factors remains uncertain. The contribution of these risk factors to newborn stroke and the stroke of children with sickle cell disease is similarly unclear, likely because the ischemia in affected children is predominantly due to nonhematologic perinatal events and erythrocyte adhesion to endothelium with obstruction of flow in the cerebral microcirculation, respectively. Evaluation of childhood stroke should, in our view, always be performed from the standpoint of the presenting clinical symptoms, diagnostic imaging, and determination of plasma-phase risk factors. Therapeutic anticoagulation and use of antiplatelet agents at present focus on the older child.
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