Etiologic patterns of ischaemic stroke in young adults.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the etiologic patterns of ischaemic stroke in young adults.

STUDY DESIGN

A descriptive study.

PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY

Department of Neurology, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karachi, from January to December 2010.

METHODOLOGY

All ischaemic stroke patients aged 15 - 45 years were included. The etiologic patterns were classified using TOAST (Trial of ORG 10172 in acute ischaemic stroke) classification and comparisons were made between different stroke subtypes with reference to traditional risk factors like age, smoking, hypertension, diabetes mellitus and dyslipidemia. Results were described in percentages.

RESULTS

There were 75 cases and higher proportion of patients had ischaemic stroke due to cardiac etiology below the age of 35 years. Nineteen patients had cardioembolic stroke [8 (42.1%) males and 11 (57.9%) females]; 15 patients had large artery atherosclerosis [males 9 (60%), females 6 (40%)]; 17 patients had stroke of determined etiology (SDE), [6 (35.2%) males and 11 (64.8%) females] among whom 47% were due to venous sinus thrombosis. Twelve patients had stroke of undetermined etiology (SUE), [5 (41.6%) males and 7 (58.4%) females] and 12 patients had stroke due to small vessel disease (SVD) [8 males (66.7%) and 4 (33.3%) females.

CONCLUSION

Cardioembolism, venous sinus thrombosis and premature atherosclerosis are common etiologies in young patients with acute ischaemic stroke.