title: Epidemiology of childhood stroke in Estonia.
abstract: We investigated the incidence and 30-day case-fatality of childhood stroke in Estonia, and clinical signs and risk factors of childhood stroke. A retrospective (1995-2003) and prospective study (2004-2006) of childhood stroke (arterial ischemic, hemorrhagic, and sinovenous thrombosis) and transient ischemic attack was conducted. Stroke-incidence calculation was based on the prospective study. Clinical diagnoses of stroke were confirmed by neuroradiology. The incidence rate of childhood stroke in Estonia was 2.73/100,000 person-years for children aged 30 days to 18 years: 1.61/100,000 for arterial ischemic stroke, 0.87/100,000 for hemorrhagic stroke, 0.25/100,000 for sinovenous thrombosis, and 0.37/100,000 for transient ischemic attack. No arterial ischemic stroke patients died within 30 days, but case-fatality for intracerebral hemorrhage was 46%. Focal signs occurred in 100% of arterial ischemic strokes and 64% of intracerebral hemorrhage cases. Risk factors were identified in 35/48 (73%) children with cerebrovascular attacks. Six children with arterial ischemic stroke (6/24, 25%) manifested more than one risk factor. The incidence rate of childhood stroke in Estonia is similar to that in earlier data.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.
authors.forename: Rael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Laugesaar
authors.forename: Anneli
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kolk
authors.forename: Ulle
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Uustalu
authors.forename: Pilvi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ilves
authors.forename: Tiiu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tomberg
authors.forename: Inga
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Talvik
authors.forename: Kristel
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Köbas
authors.forename: Valentin
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sander
authors.forename: Tiina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Talvik
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004957:Estonia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D002546:Ischemic Attack, Transient / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology