Affiliations: Department of Neurology, Fann Teaching Hospital,
Dakar, Senegal | Albert Royer Children Hospital, Dakar, Senegal
Note: [] Correspondence: Dr. Moustapha Ndiaye, Neurology Department of
Fann Teaching Hospital, Dakar, Senegal. Tel.: +221 77572 1452; E-mail:
ngouille@hotmail.com
Abstract: Ischemic stroke is infrequent in childhood. Etiological factors
depend on epidemiological context. The purpose of this study is to determine
risk factors, clinical and radiological features and outcome of arterial
ischemic stroke in a cohort of Senegalese infants. We carried out a
retrospective study of medical data of children hospitalized with arterial
ischemic stroke in the neurological department of Fann teaching hospital and at
Children's Hospital Albert Royer, from July 2003 to July 2011. Forty-eight
cases were included in this study with ages ranging from 2 months to 18 yr,
with a female/male ratio of 0.71. Mean age at the time of occurrence stroke was
89.37 mo. The most common symptoms were hemiparesis (93.75%), motor partial
seizures (24.44%), and Broca's aphasia (33.3%). The middle cerebral artery was
mostly affected (87.5%). Risk factors were predominantly sickle cell disease,
anemia, embolic heart disease, meningoencephalitis and head trauma. 8.33% of
patients died. After discharge, 16.66% of patients were lost follow-up and
62.5% of the total cohort had neurological impairments. Treatment was
essentially symptomatic and secondary prevention was provided by treatment with
anticoagulants or anti-platelets agents depending on the etiology of ischemic
stroke.
