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Hepatitis C and recurrent treatment-resistant acute ischemic stroke
Aneeta Saxsena1, Joseph Tarsia, Casey Dunn
1Department of Neurology (Saxsena, Tarsia, Dunn, Aysenne) and Department of Radiology (Shah), Tulane University Medical Center, New Orleans, Louisiana; and the Baylor Neuroscience Center, Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas (Moore).
Proceedings (Baylor University. Medical Center)
|April 2, 2013
Summary
Acute ischemic stroke in older adults can stem from rare causes like antiphospholipid syndromes. Screening for these disorders in elderly patients may improve stroke treatment and prevention.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Immunology
- Vascular Medicine
Background:
- Acute ischemic stroke is treatable within 4.5 hours with thrombolysis.
- Common stroke causes include atherosclerosis and cardioembolism (e.g., atrial fibrillation).
- Antiphospholipid syndromes are rare causes of stroke, typically seen in younger individuals.
Observation:
- This study reports three cases of acute ischemic stroke in patients over 65 years old.
- All three patients presented with hepatitis C-associated antiphospholipid antibodies.
- This challenges the typical age demographic for antiphospholipid syndrome-related strokes.
Findings:
- Hepatitis C infection can be associated with antiphospholipid antibodies.
- These antibodies may contribute to ischemic stroke in older individuals.
- The findings highlight an unusual etiology for stroke in the elderly population.
Implications:
- Consider screening older patients with ischemic stroke for antiphospholipid disorders.
- Early detection can lead to tailored therapeutic management.
- Identifying antiphospholipid antibodies may enhance secondary stroke prevention strategies.
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