[Cerebral vascular accidents in young subjects. A study of 133 patients 9 to 45 years of age]

Abstract

We report 133 cases of strokes in patients aged 9-45 (male: 68, female: 65), mean age: 33.5 years. There were 112 arterial infarcts (84%), 9 venous infarcts (7%), 12 hemorrhages (9%). Among the arterial infarcts, 23 (20.5%) were due to a dissecting aneurysm, 17 (15%) to atherosclerosis, 13 (12%) to cardiac embolism. Echocardiography with contrast was performed in 69 patients showing a patent foramen ovale in 15. Mitral valve prolapse was present in 8, among which 5 had in addition a patent foramen ovale. Among 16 migrainous patients there were 7 dissecting aneurysms and 3 patent foramen ovale. Twenty two of 65 women were taking oral contraceptives at the time of the stroke. Strokes in patients taking oral contraceptives or during the puerperium accounted for 43% of the strokes in women. Ten cases (9%) have had no explanation. Venous infarctions were mainly due to puerperium and oral contraceptives. Hemorrhages were mainly due to arterial hypertension. No cause was found in 4/12 cases. The most useful investigations were angiography and echocardiography with contrast. This study confirms that extensive and early investigations are necessary in strokes in the young and particularly in women taking oral contraceptives, migraine patients and patients with mitral valve prolapse.