Strokes in children linked to infections, inadequate vaccinations

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-09/luhs-sic092515.php

Public Release: 30-Sep-2015
Strokes in children linked to infections, inadequate vaccinations
Loyola University Health System

Children who have suffered recent infections or have not received most or all of their vaccinations are at a higher risk for stroke, according to research published in the Sept. 30 issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

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There are between 2.6 and 13 strokes per 100,000 children per year. Developmental, genetic and environmental factors are major contributors to pediatric strokes. Infections also may temporarily increase the risk of stroke. Such infections include flu, upper respiratory tract infections, bacterial and viral infections and, to a lesser extent, urinary tract infections and gastrointestinal infections, according to the editorial.

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Researchers in the multicenter, case-control study enrolled 355 children between the ages of 29 days and 18 years who had suffered ischemic strokes. (Ischemic strokes are caused by blood clots that block blood flow in the brain.)

Eighteen percent of these children had experienced infections during the week prior to their strokes. By comparison, only 3 percent of children in the control group had suffered infections during the week prior to being interviewed. Children who suffered strokes also were less likely to have received all or most of the recommended vaccinations.

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