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Updated: Jun 8, 2026
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Transient Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion Model of Neonatal Stroke in P10 Rats
Published on: April 21, 2017
Pediatric stroke: clinical characteristics, acute care utilization patterns, and mortality.
Kimberly D Statler1, Li Dong, Denise M Nielsen
1Department of Pediatrics, University of Utah, PO Box 2581289, 295 Chipeta Way, Salt Lake City, UT 84158, USA. kim.statler@hsc.utah.edu
Summary
Acute care for pediatric stroke shows similar utilization by stroke type, but Children's Hospitals provide more intensive and aggressive treatments. Despite this, in-hospital mortality for pediatric stroke remains high.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurology
- Healthcare Utilization Research
- Clinical Informatics
Background:
- Acute care patterns for pediatric stroke are not well-defined, hindering effective care coordination and treatment strategies.
- Understanding these patterns is crucial for improving outcomes in children with stroke.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe demographics and clinical characteristics of pediatric stroke patients.
- To compare acute care utilization between hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke, and between Children's and non-Children's Hospitals.
- To identify factors linked to aggressive care and in-hospital mortality.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective cohort analysis of the Kids Inpatient Database for children hospitalized with stroke.
- Comparison of demographics, predisposing conditions, and intensive/aggressive care by stroke and hospital type.
- Logistic regression to identify factors associated with aggressive care and in-hospital mortality.
Main Results:
- Hemorrhagic stroke (43%) was more common in younger children and had higher mortality. Ischemic stroke was more frequent in older children with predisposing conditions.
- Intensive (30%) and aggressive (15%) care rates were low, similar by stroke type, but higher at Children's Hospitals.
- Aggressive care was associated with older age, hemorrhagic stroke, predisposing conditions, and Children's Hospital treatment. Hemorrhagic stroke and aggressive care correlated with in-hospital mortality.
Conclusions:
- Acute care utilization for pediatric stroke is similar across stroke types, yet intensive and aggressive care are more prevalent in Children's Hospitals.
- In-hospital mortality rates for pediatric stroke remain concerningly high.
- Adopting established treatment guidelines, similar to adult stroke care, may standardize treatment and improve outcomes for pediatric stroke patients.
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