Evaluation of risk factors, functionalities, and quality of life in patients with pediatric acute arterial ischemic stroke

Background. This study aimed to evaluate the etiology and prognosis of patients followed up for pediatric acute arterial ischemic stroke. Methods. The clinical characteristics and etiology of patients aged 1 month-18 years who had acute arterial ischemic stroke between January 2010 and December 2020 were retrospectively evaluated. At last follow-up, the patients’ functionality (Barthel Index, Functional Independence Measure), quality of life (SF-36 questionnaire), and motor outcomes (Gross Motor Function Classification System) were recorded prospectively/cross-sectionally. Results. Forty children (25 boys) with a median current age of 112.5 months (range: 3.6-294) were included in the study. The most frequent etiology was prothrombotic disorders, and the most important factor associated with long-term mortality was valvular heart disease. Of the 27 (67.5%) surviving patients, 29.6% had positive motor outcomes and 29.6% were independent according to the Barthel Index. In terms of quality of life, SF-36 scores were highest in the pain scale and lowest in emotional role difficulty. Conclusions. Determining the etiology and evaluating prognosis are important to plan effective treatment and rehabilitation for pediatric acute arterial ischemic stroke.