Factor V Leiden and prothrombin gene G 20210 A variant in children with ischemic stroke

To investigate if the factor V Leiden mutation (F-V-LM) and/or the prothrombin gene G 20210 A variant (P-G20210A-V) are risk factors for acute stroke in Austrian children.

33 children with acute ischemic stroke documented by computer tomography and/or magnetic resonance imaging of the brain were enrolled in an open multicenter survey.

6/33 children had F-V-LM (5 heterozygous, 1 homozygous). This represents 18% (95% CI: 6.7-39.9%) of our pediatric stroke population and thus exceeds the expected prevalence in the Austrian population of 4,6% (Fischer's exact test, p = 0.01). F-V-LM was not found in 11 children with neonatal stroke but in 6/22 children with stroke after the neonatal period. 5/6 children with F-V-LM had an underlying disorder that is a risk factor for stroke in children. The P-G20210A-V was detected in 1/26 (3.85%; 95% CI: 0.1-21.4%) patients. Comparison of the prevalence of P-G20210A-V in our study with that in the general population of Austria of 1% revealed no statistical significance (Fischer's exact test, p = 0.38).

Our data suggest that the F-V-LM is a risk factor for acute stroke in Austrian children beyond the neonatal period. The P-G20210A-V apparently does not represent a risk factor for stroke in Austrian children.