Demographics in Children Presenting With Acute Neurologic Deficits Concerning for Stroke: An Evaluation of the Stroke Alert Process

A Review of an Interfacility Transport Program Pediatric Stroke Clinical Practice Guideline

BACKGROUND

Pediatric acute ischemic stroke is a rare diagnosis that requires timely recognition and definitive management to prevent morbidity and mortality. Children often present to primary care offices, urgent care clinics, and adult emergency departments for evaluation of symptoms that may be signs and symptoms of stroke. Currently, there are no published prehospital or transport protocols specific to pediatric acute ischemic stroke. The Children's Mercy Hospital Critical Care Transport Team (CMCCT) created a pediatric-specific clinical practice guideline (CPG) for suspected acute ischemic stroke.

METHODS

This retrospective, descriptive study reports pediatric patients aged younger than 18 years who met criteria for the pediatric stroke CPG and required interfacility transport by CMCCT over a 4- year period. Large vessel occlusion (LVO) scores used in adults were calculated retrospectively.

RESULTS

Seventeen patients met inclusion criteria. Four (24%) of 17 had radiographic evidence of acute thrombus, 3 of whom received alteplase and/or endovascular clot retrieval. Median age of confirmed stroke was 83 months (interquartile range, 65-148) compared with 177 months for nonstroke (interquartile range, 169-191), P = 0.126. The most common presenting symptom was hemiplegia in the confirmed stroke group. The confirmed stroke group scored significantly lower on the Glasgow Coma Scale (median of 8 vs 15, P = 0.014), significantly higher on the Los Angeles Motor Scale LVO score (median 4 vs 0, P = 0.021), and significantly higher on the Rapid Arterial Occlusion Evaluation LVO (median 4 vs 0, P = 0.036).

CONCLUSIONS

To our knowledge, the CMCCT CPG is the first pediatric transport protocol aimed at recognition and management of pediatric stroke described in the literature. Retrospective calculation of LVO scores show that they may be helpful in application to pediatric patients.

Advances in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Pediatric Arterial Ischemic Stroke

Though rare, stroke in infants and children is an important cause of mortality and chronic morbidity in the pediatric population. Neuroimaging advances and implementation of pediatric stroke care protocols have led to the ability to rapidly diagnose stroke and in many cases determine the stroke etiology. Though data on efficacy of hyperacute therapies, such as intravenous thrombolysis and mechanical thrombectomy, in pediatric stroke are limited, feasibility and safety data are mounting and support careful consideration of these treatments for childhood stroke. Recent therapeutic advances allow for targeted stroke prevention efforts in high-risk conditions, such as moyamoya, sickle cell disease, cardiac disease, and genetic disorders. Despite these exciting advances, important knowledge gaps persist, including optimal dosing and type of thrombolytic agents, inclusion criteria for mechanical thrombectomy, the role of immunomodulatory therapies for focal cerebral arteriopathy, optimal long-term antithrombotic strategies, the role of patent foramen ovale closure in pediatric stroke, and optimal rehabilitation strategies after stroke of the developing brain.

Acute triage of childhood stroke in Denmark

Objective:

This 2-year observational study aimed to test the feasibility of implementing a pediatric stroke triage-setup that connected frontline providers with vascular neurologists and to examine final diagnoses in children triaged for suspected stroke.

Methods:

Prospective, consecutive registration of children with suspected stroke triaged by a team of vascular neurologists from Jan 1st, 2020 and through Dec 2021, Eastern Denmark (census 530,000 children). Based on the provided clinical information, the children were triaged to either assessment at the Comprehensive Stroke Center (CSC) in Copenhagen or to a pediatric department. All included children were retrospectively followed-up for clinical presentations and final diagnosis.

Results:

A total of 163 children with 166 suspected stroke events were triaged by the vascular neurologists. Cerebrovascular disease was present in 15 (9.0%) suspected stroke events; one child had intracerebral hemorrhage, one had subarachnoid hemorrhage, two children presented with three TIA events and nine children presented with 10 ischemic stroke events. Two children with ischemic stroke were eligible for acute revascularization treatment of which both were triaged to the CSC. The sensitivity of the triage by acute revascularization indication was 1.00 (95% confidence interval (95% CI): 0.15–1.00) and specificity 0.65 (95% CI: 0.57–0.73). Non-stroke neurological emergencies were present in 34 (20.5%) children, including seizures in 18 (10.8%) and acute demyelinating disorders in 7 (4.2%).

Conclusion:

Implementing regional triage-setup that connected frontline providers to vascular neurologists was feasible; this system was activated for the majority of children with ischemic stroke according to an expected incidence and led to identification of children eligible for revascularization treatments.