title: [A childhood case of antiphospholipid syndrome].
abstract: Many conditions can lead to cerebral strokes in children. The antiphospholipid syndrome widely described in adults in association with systemic lupus erythematosus, is rare in childhood.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two months after recovering from varicella and a few days after an episode of bronchitis, a 17-month-old girl developed left facial paralysis associated with right hemiplegia. Brain MRI and angio-scan showed thrombosis in the internal left carotid associated with ischemia in the superficial posterior territory of the left Sylvian artery. Echocardiography and hemoglobin electrophoresis were normal. Tests were negative for protein S, C and antithrombin III deficiencies and no resistance to activated protein C. IgM anticardiolipin antibodies were detected at high level (greater than 25IU/l) initially and six weeks later. In the absence of an evident etiology, mainly systemic lupus erythematosus (negative antinuclear antibodies), the diagnosis of primary antiphospholipid syndrome was retained. The girl was treated by heparin then by salicylate at antiaggregate doses associated with re-habilitation. Twelve months later, the patient had not developed any other thrombosis, in spite of a high level of anticardiolipin antibodies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In children with cerebral strokes, antiphospholipid syndrome must be discussed when the usual etiologies have been ruled out.
authors.affiliation: Service de pédiatrie générale, hôpital Habib-Bourguiba, Sfax, Tunisie. chabchoubimen@yahoo.fr
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Chabchoub
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ben Thabet
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Maaloul
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Aloulou
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kamoun
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Daoued
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Mnif
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hachicha
mesh_terms: D016736:Antiphospholipid Syndrome / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D002308:Cardiolipins / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D007223:Infant; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D011859:Radiography
chemical_list: D002308:Cardiolipins; D007075:Immunoglobulin M