Neurological Outcome of Ischemic Stroke in Children: a Single Center Study

Hong, Seung Hee; Chang, Seong Hwan; Jung, Eui Seok; Kim, Young Ok; Choi, Young Youn; Woo, Young Jong

Abstract

PURPOSE
Ischemic stroke is rarely seen in children, but it could cause mortality and result in developmental disabilities such as motor paralysis, cognitive dysfunction, and epilepsy. In this study, the neurological outcomes of ischemic stroke in children were reviewed and the factors associated with the neurological outcomes were to be analyzed.
METHODS
Medical records of patients younger than 15 years of age who were newly diagnosed with ischemic stroke between January 2006 and December 2016 in Chonnam National University Hospital were reviewed.
RESULTS
This study consisted of 38 patients with ischemic stroke (male/female= 18/20, mean age=6 years 1 month±4 years 8 months). Neurological outcomes assessment was done at least 1 year after the onset of ischemic stroke. 10 patients (26.3%) had no neurological impairments. Motor paralysis was noted in 22 (57.9%), cognitive dysfunction was in 9 (23.7%), and epilepsy in 20 (52.6%). Among the possible risk factors for neurological impairments (age, sex, early seizures, characteristics of the infarcted lesions, abnormal electroencephalogram (EEG) findings), abnormalities on EEG findings were significantly associated with cognitive dysfunction (P=0.026) and the occurrence of early seizures with epilepsy (P=0.000).
CONCLUSION
Neurological impairments were remained in 73.7% of children one year after ischemic stroke. Cognitive dysfunction was associated with abnormalities on EEG findings within 2 weeks after the onset of ischemic stroke and epilepsy with the occurrence of early seizures.