Sickle cell trait and stroke in children

Cerebrovascular complications of sickle cell anemia are well known to be one of the more common causes of stroke in the pediatric age group. Although it is far less common, the association of stroke with sickle cell trait has been described in young adults and only twice in children in the English literature. In this report, we describe a case of a posterior circulation infarct occurring in a 12-year-old male who also had a normal variant vertebral artery, which may have been a contributing factor in his presentation. The literature is reviewed and other possible risk factors for stroke in sickle cell trait are discussed.