Abstract Stroke is a rare disorder in childhood. The majority of these cases is of an ischemic nature. In spite of the long list of known causes, many strokes remain undetermined, so-called cryptogenic strokes. Increasing evidence indicates that, in the young adults, many cases of cryptogenic stroke are presumably due to paradoxical embolism. In childhood, this is usually not considered, unless in the context of a complex cyanotic heart disease. We present two cases, a 6-year-old boy and an 11-year-old girl who had an episode of cerebral ischemia documented by MRI, and in whom the only anomaly found was a patent foramen ovale (PFO) with intermittent left to right shunt at rest, but with a large right to left shunt during the Valsalva maneuvre. We assumed that, in our cases, in the absence of identifiable causes, the cerebral ischemia was most likely due to paradoxical embolism through the PFO. Of course, as in the adult, the paradoxical embolism could not be proved, but in our opinion it remains the most concrete possibility. Therefore, in presence of a cryptogenic stroke, a PFO should be investigated also in children.

Cryptogenic stroke in children: possible role of patent foramen ovale / Agnetti, Aldo; Carano, Nicola; Sani, E; Tchana, B; Allegri, V; Bernasconi, Sergio; Squarcia, U.. - In: NEUROPEDIATRICS. - ISSN 0174-304X. - 37(1):(2006), pp. 53-56. [10.1055/s-2006-923936)]

Cryptogenic stroke in children: possible role of patent foramen ovale.

AGNETTI, Aldo;CARANO, Nicola;BERNASCONI, Sergio;
2006-01-01

Abstract

Abstract Stroke is a rare disorder in childhood. The majority of these cases is of an ischemic nature. In spite of the long list of known causes, many strokes remain undetermined, so-called cryptogenic strokes. Increasing evidence indicates that, in the young adults, many cases of cryptogenic stroke are presumably due to paradoxical embolism. In childhood, this is usually not considered, unless in the context of a complex cyanotic heart disease. We present two cases, a 6-year-old boy and an 11-year-old girl who had an episode of cerebral ischemia documented by MRI, and in whom the only anomaly found was a patent foramen ovale (PFO) with intermittent left to right shunt at rest, but with a large right to left shunt during the Valsalva maneuvre. We assumed that, in our cases, in the absence of identifiable causes, the cerebral ischemia was most likely due to paradoxical embolism through the PFO. Of course, as in the adult, the paradoxical embolism could not be proved, but in our opinion it remains the most concrete possibility. Therefore, in presence of a cryptogenic stroke, a PFO should be investigated also in children.
2006
Cryptogenic stroke in children: possible role of patent foramen ovale / Agnetti, Aldo; Carano, Nicola; Sani, E; Tchana, B; Allegri, V; Bernasconi, Sergio; Squarcia, U.. - In: NEUROPEDIATRICS. - ISSN 0174-304X. - 37(1):(2006), pp. 53-56. [10.1055/s-2006-923936)]
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
Prof. Agnetti Cryptogenic stroke.pdf

non disponibili

Tipologia: Documento in Post-print
Licenza: Creative commons
Dimensione 159.03 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
159.03 kB Adobe PDF   Visualizza/Apri   Richiedi una copia

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11381/1510153
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus 31
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 23
social impact