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Acute cerebrovascular disease in the young: the Stroke in Young Fabry Patients study

Arndt Rolfs1, Franz Fazekas, Ulrike Grittner

  • 1Albrecht-Kossel-Institute for Neuroregeneration, Medical Faculty, University of Rostock, Gehlsheimer St.20, 18147 Rostock, Germany. arndt.rolfs@med.uni-rostock.de

Stroke
|January 12, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Young adults experiencing stroke have a 0.5% chance of having Fabry disease. The study highlights the prevalence of silent infarcts and risk factors, indicating a need for new preventive strategies for young stroke patients.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Cardiovascular Research
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Strokes in young adults have severe consequences, yet their characteristics are poorly understood.
  • Traditional risk factors like atherosclerosis are less common in young stroke patients, suggesting different underlying causes.
  • The Stroke in Young Fabry Patients (sifap) study was initiated to investigate acute cerebrovascular disease in individuals aged 18-55.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize a multinational cohort of young stroke patients.
  • To identify the prevalence of Fabry disease in young stroke survivors.
  • To analyze the causes and imaging findings of cerebrovascular events in young adults.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective, multinational European study (sifap) enrolling 5023 patients aged 18-55.
  • Standardized clinical, laboratory, and radiological assessments were performed.
  • Data collection occurred between April 2007 and January 2010 across 15 countries and 47 centers.

Main Results:

  • Definite Fabry disease was diagnosed in 0.5% of patients, with probable cases in an additional 0.4%.
  • Large artery atherosclerosis (18.6%) and dissection (9.9%) were the most frequent causes of ischemic stroke.
  • Silent infarcts were observed in 20% of first-ever stroke patients, and white matter lesions were prevalent.

Conclusions:

  • Fabry disease is a relevant, though rare, cause of stroke in young adults.
  • The high prevalence of silent infarcts and risk factors underscores the necessity for early detection and prevention strategies.
  • Further research is needed to develop targeted interventions for preventing strokes in younger populations.
Abstract

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