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Updated: Jul 9, 2026
A Thrombotic Stroke Model Based On Transient Cerebral Hypoxia-ischemia
Published on: August 18, 2015
The cost of pediatric stroke care and rehabilitation
Warren Lo1, Khaled Zamel, Kavita Ponnappa
1Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University, Children's Hospital, 700 Children's Dr, Columbus, OH 43205, USA. wlo@chi.osu.edu
Insights
Pediatric stroke care costs averaged $42,338 in the first year. Higher costs correlated with neurological impairment and hemorrhagic stroke, impacting children's function.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurology
- Health Economics
- Medical Informatics
Background:
- Limited data exists on pediatric stroke care costs.
- Understanding cost drivers is crucial for resource allocation and patient management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine post-stroke care costs in children during the first year post-diagnosis.
- To compare these costs with cerebral infarct volume and neurological/functional outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of 39 children with confirmed nontraumatic strokes.
- Cost tabulation for one year post-stroke diagnosis.
- Assessment of infarct volume (MRI/CT), neurological (modified PSOM), and functional outcomes (quality-of-life measure).
Main Results:
- Median first-year post-stroke care cost was $42,338.
- Hemorrhagic strokes incurred higher costs than ischemic strokes.
- Costs positively correlated with neurological impairment; PSOM scores linked to functional deficits.
Conclusions:
- Stroke care cost may reflect stroke severity in children.
- Pediatric stroke negatively impacts neurological function and social abilities.
Background And Purpose:
There is little data regarding the cost of pediatric stroke care or the elements that contribute to these costs. We examined costs for poststroke care during the first year after diagnosis and compared these costs with the volume of the cerebral infarct and the level of neurological and functional outcome.
Methods:
We identified 39 children who sustained nontraumatic ischemic or hemorrhagic strokes and confirmed the diagnoses by review of medical and radiology records. Medical costs were tabulated for the year after the diagnosis of stroke. Cerebral infarct volumes were measured from MRI or CT scans. Neurological outcome was assessed by telephone with a modification of the Pediatric Stroke Outcome Measure (PSOM), and functional outcomes were assessed with a standardized quality-of-life measure.
Results:
The median cost for poststroke care during the year after diagnosis was $42,338 for the entire group. The cost for stroke care was higher for hemorrhagic stroke than for ischemic stroke. Cost had a significant positive correlation with neurological impairment. The modified PSOM score positively correlated with impairments of physical, emotional, social, and school function.
Conclusions:
The cost of stroke care may be one measure of stroke severity, with more extensive strokes resulting in greater medical costs. In addition, stroke appears to impair children's social ability along with their neurological function.
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