CHILDHOOD ARTERIAL ISCHEMIC STROKE TRIGGERS
Fullerton HJ, Hills NK, Elkind MS, et al. Infection, vaccination, and childhood arterial ischemic stroke: Results of the VIPS study. Neurology. 2015; 85(17):1459-1466.
Infection may act as a trigger for childhood arterial ischemic stroke (AIS), while routine vaccinations appear protective, according to a study of 355 patients (ages 29 days to 18 years) with AIS and 354 controls. Researchers found:
• Infection in the week prior to stroke was reported in 18% of cases versus 3% of controls, conferring a 6.3-fold increased risk for AIS.
• Upper respiratory infections were the most common.
• Prevalence of preceding infection was similar across arteriopathic, cardioembolic, and idiopathic stroke types.
• Use of vasoactive cold medications was similarly low in both groups.
• Children with some/few/no vaccinations were at higher stroke risk than those receiving all or most immunizations.
• In an age-adjusted model, independent risk factors for AIS included infection in the prior week, undervaccination, black race (compared to white), and rural residence.
Continue for comparing stroke risk scores for patients with AF >>