ASSESSMENT OF SOME ATHEROSCLEROSIS RISK FACTORS IN CHILDREN OF PATIENTS WITH YOUNG STROKE

Abstract

Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Cerebral strokes below the age of 45 account for up to 3% of all
strokes. Given that atherosclerotic thrombotic factors are the most frequent etiology of
cerebrovascular accidents (CVA) second to cardioembolic causes, and that children of
families with sequels of premature atherosclerosis are considered to be at risk, we
assessed atherosclerosis risk factors and antiphospholipid antibody (APL-Ab) levels in
children of patients with young stroke (YS) and without cardioembolic causes in
comparison to controls.
METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 27 children of patients with
YS due to non-cardiac causes (case group) and 2 control groups, one with 52 children of
patients with stroke after the age of 50, and the other with 55 children without the history
of stroke in their parents. Findings were analyzed with SPSS using ANOVA test.
RESULTS: The mean values of systolic and diastolic blood pressure, LDL-C and
ApoB100 in the case group were significantly higher and mean HDL-C and ApoA1 were
significantly lower in the case group. The number of APL-Ab-positive cases was larger in
the case group. The other assessed variables were not different between the two control
groups.
CONCLUSIONS: Atherosclerotic thrombotic risk factors were more prevalent in children
of patients with atherosclerotic thrombotic cerebral YS than in controls. Primordial and
primary prevention of these risk factors should be considered in children of these
families.
Key Words: Young stroke, risk factors, children, prevention.