title: Focal cerebral vasculitis and stroke after chickenpox.
abstract: Cerebral infarcts are rather rare in children and can be caused by a number of diverse conditions. We report a case of cerebral infarct associated with a recent varicella infection. A 5-year old girl presented with an acute central facial palsy 1 month after a chickenpox infection. The infarction was revealed by magnetic resonance imaging and laboratory studies ruled out all known causes of stroke. Cerebral angiogram demonstrated segmental narrowing and irregularity of the wall of the right internal carotid artery, compatible with focal vasculitis. With the presumed diagnosis of varicella-associated focal angiitis, the patient was treated with high-dose methylprednisolone, acyclovir and aspirin. Magnetic resonance angiogram performed 6 weeks after the stroke demonstrated the resolution of the vasculitis. Varicella infection should be considered one of the possible causes of acute ischaemic strokes in children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Başkent University, Ankara, Turkey. falehan@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Füsun K
authors.initials: FK
authors.lastname: Alehan
authors.forename: Fatih
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Boyvat
authors.forename: Esra
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Baskin
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Derbent
authors.forename: Namik
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ozbek
mesh_terms: D000212:Acyclovir / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D002533:Cerebral Angiography; D002644:Chickenpox / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000821:virology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D020521:Stroke / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D020293:Vasculitis, Central Nervous System / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000821:virology*
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000212:Acyclovir; D008775:Methylprednisolone