6. Etiology and Presentation of Stroke in Hospitalized Children
Farrukh Saeed, Amna Iqtidar, Farhan Zahoor and Muhammad Asif Siddiqui
ABSTRACT
Objective: This study was aimed to note the main underlying causes and presentation of stroke amongst hospitalized children.
Study Design: A retrospective study.
Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted at the Department of Pediatrics, Services Hospital, Lahore from March 2016 to March 2018.
Materials and Methods: A total of 62 children admitted with stroke during the study period, aged one to 15 years, having focal acuteneural impairment established by brain imaging, were analyzed. Demographic characteristics including age and gender along with clinical presentation and neuroimaging findings of all the study participants were noted. Etiologies like prenatal diseases, CHD, hematological disorders, trauma as well as infections of CNS were also recorded.
Results: Out of a total of 62 children with stroke, 36 (58.1%) were male and 26 (41.9%) female. There were 9 (14.5%) children below the age of 1 years, 36 (58.1%) between 1 to 5 years, 8 (12.9%) from 5 to 10 years and 9 14.5%) above 10 years of age. Mean age was noted to 4.5 years with standard deviation of 2.4 years. There were 28 (45.2%) children who belonged to urban areas while 34 (44.8%) to rural area. There were 52 (83.9%) children who presented with weakness, 41 (66.1%) with raised intracranial pressure while seizures were seen to be a presenting feature 37 (59.7%). Commonest cause of stroke was noted to be hemorrhagic stroke due to trauma in 22 (35.5%) and vascular disease in 17 (27.4%).
Conclusion: Hemorrhagic stroke due to trauma, coagulopathy and vasculopathy were found to be the most common etiologies in children with stroke. Preventive strategies involving measures to address the causes of stroke in children along with early diagnosis and treatment will certainly reduce its burden amongst children.
Key Words: Stroke, hemorrhagic stroke, vascular disease, coagulopathy
Citation of articles: Saeed F, Iqtidar A, Zahoor F, Siddiqui MA. Etiology and Presentation of Stroke in Hospitalized Children. Med Forum 2019;30(5):23-26.