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The risks and safety of clopidogrel in pediatric arterial ischemic stroke

Teesta Soman1, Mubeen F Rafay, Selina Hune

  • 1Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada.

Stroke
|March 11, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Clopidogrel is generally safe for children with arterial ischemic stroke (AIS). However, combining it with aspirin may increase the risk of intracranial bleeding in pediatric patients.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Neurology
  • Cardiovascular Research
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Arterial ischemic stroke (AIS) in children requires effective antiplatelet therapy.
  • Clopidogrel serves as an alternative to aspirin when it's ineffective or not tolerated.
  • Limited data exists on clopidogrel's safety and tolerability in pediatric AIS cases.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the safety and tolerability of clopidogrel in children diagnosed with AIS.
  • To assess the risks associated with clopidogrel use in this specific pediatric population.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective consecutive cohort study design.
  • Inclusion of seventeen pediatric patients with AIS initiated on clopidogrel.
  • Monitoring for adverse events and side effects during treatment.

Main Results:

  • Clopidogrel was found to be relatively well tolerated in the pediatric cohort.
  • Two cases of subdural hematomas were observed when clopidogrel was used concurrently with aspirin.
  • Headache and hand numbness were reported in two patients; no rashes or gastrointestinal issues occurred.

Conclusions:

  • Clopidogrel demonstrates acceptable tolerability in children with AIS.
  • Concurrent use of clopidogrel with aspirin may elevate the risk of intracranial bleeding, particularly with other contributing risk factors.
Abstract

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