Clinical, Aetiological and Scannographic Aspects of Ischaemic Stroke in Children Aged 1 Month to 15 years at the Ignace Deen National Hospital

Camara SH¹, Barry A¹, Bangoura MA², Bangoura K¹, Doukouré MA¹, Kolie O¹, Diallo FB¹ and Kouyaté M^1
1Department of Paediatrics Donka National Hospital Conakry Guinea
²Institute of Nutrition and Child Health Conakry Guinea
*Corresponding Author: Camara Salematou Hassimiou, Paediatrician at Donka National Hospital, Guinea.

Published: September 04, 2024

DOI: 10.55162/MCMS.07.236

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Abstract  

Introduction: Stroke in children is dreadful, although it is ten to twelve times rarer than in adults. The incidence of stroke in children has been little studied. It varies between 1.3 and 13/100,000 children/year. The aim of this study was to describe the clinical, aetiological and scanographic aspects of ischaemic strokes in children aged between 1 month and 15 years in the Paediatrics Department of the Ignace Deen National Hospital.

Setting-Materials and Methods: This was a prospective dynamic study conducted in the Paediatrics Department of the Ignace Deen National Hospital over a 12-month period, from 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021.

All children hospitalised for ischaemic stroke were included. The diagnosis of stroke was based on any sudden onset neurological deficit that persisted for at least 24 hours, with no apparent cause other than a vascular origin.

Results: We recorded 12 cases of ischemic stroke in the department, i.e. 2.27%. The age group of 11-15 years was more represented 41.66% with extremes of 1 year and 15 years. The female sex was dominant in 7 cases (58.33%). The onset of symptoms was sudden (75%) or rapidly progressive over a few hours (25%). The motor deficit of a hemibody was the main clinical sign, found in 91.67% of cases associated with language disorders (4 cases), convulsions (4 cases), fever (6 cases), headaches and/or vomiting (5 cases), impaired consciousness (2) and facial asymmetry (6 cases). Brain CT was the first-line test required to confirm the diagnosis in 100% of cases. The etiologies were dominated by heart disease (4 cases), sickle cell disease (4 cases), central nervous system infection (1 case) and undetermined (3 cases). The evolution was favourable in 91.67%.

Conclusion: Stroke in children remains rare, and there is no clinical difference between children and adults. Early, multidisciplinary monitoring of patients with sickle cell disease and prevention of rheumatic heart disease would help to considerably reduce the incidence of stroke in children.

Keywords: stroke; neuroimaging; child; Ignace Deen

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