[Acute cerebral ischemia in patients under 45 years of age: a study in a series of 68 patients].
OBJECTIVE
To study acute cerebrovascular ischemia in young persons in our environment.


METHODS
A retrospective study was made of 68 patients, aged between 15 and 45, with transient ischemic accidents (TIA) or cerebral infarcts. Etiological factors, clinical features, diagnostic groups according to the TOAST classification and prognosis were analyzed.


RESULTS
In our series there was a ratio of 1.26 in favor of the women. TIAs made up 29.4% of the cases. The most commonly affected territory was that of the carotid artery. In persons over the age of 30 there was greater prevalence of this pathology and of the risk factors diabetes, arterial hypertension and dyslipaemia. There was a significant association with migraine in those aged under 30. The biggest diagnostic group was that of infarct of unknown origin (39.7%), probably because of the specificity of the classification. The functional condition on follow-up was good: only 4.4% of the patients had a score greater than 3 on the Rankin scale. There were no deaths either during the acute phase or subsequently. Recurrences were seen in 10.2% of the patients.


CONCLUSIONS
The results obtained in our series are similar to those published in the literature. In acute cerebrovascular ischaemia in young persons, full diagnostic investigations should be carried out in order to give suitable treatment.
López-Fernández
J C
JC
Sección de Neurología, Hospital Ntra. Sra. del Pino, Las Palmas, España.
Aladro-Benito
Y
Y
Cubero-González
A
A
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D002546:Ischemic Attack, Transient / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000150:complications; D011379:Prognosis; D012008:Recurrence; D012307:Risk Factors; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology