Pediatric Ischemic Stroke Epidemiology and Management
Summary
Pediatric ischemic stroke, though rare compared with adult stroke, affects approximately 1–2 per 100 000 children annually, with peaks in the neonatal period, early childhood and adolescence. Clinical presentation is heterogeneous, often delaying diagnosis, and includes focal motor deficits, seizures and altered consciousness. Underlying causes range from congenital cardiac anomalies and prothrombotic disorders to focal cerebral arteriopathies and extracranial dissections. Neuroimaging with MRI, including diffusion-weighted sequences and vessel-wall imaging, is central to rapid confirmation and aetiological classification. Acute management has evolved from extrapolation of adult reperfusion strategies—intravenous thrombolysis and endovascular thrombectomy—to tailored paediatric protocols, emphasising multidisciplinary team pathways to shorten door-to-needle and puncture times. Secondary prevention relies on antithrombotic therapy guided by stroke mechanism, and long-term rehabilitation addresses motor, cognitive and psychosocial sequelae. Emerging data support institution of standard operating procedures in tertiary centres to optimise outcomes and reduce long-term disability across global healthcare settings.
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Pediatric Ischemic Stroke Epidemiology and Management publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in pediatric ischemic stroke epidemiology and management across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Arterial ischaemic stroke: Occlusion of cerebral arteries leading to brain tissue infarction.
Endovascular thrombectomy: Mechanical clot removal from intracranial vessels via catheter-based techniques.
Intravenous thrombolysis: Administration of fibrinolytic agent into a peripheral vein to dissolve arterial clots.
Pediatric National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (PedNIHSS): Scoring system quantifying neurologic deficit severity in children.
Modified Rankin Scale (mRS): Functional outcome scale ranging from no symptoms to severe disability or death.
References
- Endovascular thrombectomy for childhood stroke (Save ChildS Pro): an international, multicentre, prospective registry study. The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health (2024).
- Acute ischemic stroke in childhood: a comprehensive review. European Journal of Pediatrics (2021).
- Pediatric Stroke: A Review of Common Etiologies and Management Strategies. Biomedicines (2022).
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