title: Cerebral infarction in a young adult associated with protein C deficiency. A case report.
abstract: Protein C deficiency is a cause of thromboembolic disease. Venous thrombosis is the most common clinical manifestation. Arterial thrombosis is unusual and involvement of the intracranial arteries is especially rare. Herein the authors describe a case of cerebral [correction of cerebellar] infarction associated with protein C deficiency and review the relevant medical literature. A thirty-year-old man was hospitalized because of dysarthria, right limb ataxia, and a gait disturbance. Cranial computed tomography disclosed an infarction in the right cerebellar hemisphere and brachium pontis. Three months earlier the patient had had a transient ischemic attack with truncal ataxia and gait disturbances. On admission, the protein C antigen was 57% and protein C activity was 45%. Investigation of family members revealed protein C deficiency in an uncle. Literature review of stroke cases associated with protein C deficiency revealed that most had had a previous vascular event and/or a positive family history or had used oral contraceptives chronically. Protein C deficiency should be considered in young stroke patients with a positive family history of vaso-occlusive disease, previous ischemic events, or chronic oral contraceptive use.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Saga Medical School, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shirahama
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ohmori
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sunaga
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002533:Cerebral Angiography; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011486:Protein C / Q000032:analysis; D020151:Protein C Deficiency; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D011486:Protein C