Affiliations: Department of Pediatrics, Landeskrankenhaus Feldkirch
University Teaching Hospital, Landeskrankenhaus Feldkirch, Feldkirch,
Austria
Note: [] Correspondence: Dr. Burkhard Simma, MD, Department of Pediatrics
University Teaching Hospital, Landeskrankenhaus Feldkirch, A-6800 Feldkirch,
Austria. Tel.: +43 5522 303 2900; Fax: +43 5522 303 7522; E-mail:
burkhard.simma@lkhf.at
Abstract: Stroke may be an underestimated disease in children and adolescents.
Several studies report an annual incidence as high as for brain tumors:
2–13 children for arterial ischemic, 1–5 for hemorrhagic stroke and
0.67/100,000 children for cerebral venous thrombosis. Recurrence of stroke
ranges from 10–20% and depends on the underlying risk factors. Genetic
predisposition underlying diseases and risk factors can often not be separated
very precisely. The most prominent risk factors are vasculapathies and
congenital heart disease, sickle cell anemia, coagulopathies, metabolic
disorders and infections. Disorders in lipometabolism and genetic
predisposition are now known to play also a role in the pathogenesis of
pediatric stroke. A distinct stroke etiology can be determined only in a
minority of children. However, most of them (> 80%) have more than one risk
factor. The purpose of this review is to describe the epidemiology, risk
factors, and etiologies of pediatric stroke in order to give rationales for
understanding clinical symptoms and treatment decisions.
