West Virginia University Pediatric Stroke Registry: Clinical Description and Risk Factors Identification in Patients Living in a Rural Area

We develop an institutional pediatric stroke database at West Virginia University to support the classification and description of clinical and radiographic characteristics of children with stroke in West Virginia. Methods A custom-made database was developed using Microsoft Access to include specific query forms for data retrieval. Data were collected retrospectively from electronic medical record of pediatric patients with ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke, with emphasis on clinical presentation, risk factors and neuroimaging studies, between 2000 and 2012. Results In the children group cardiac disease was over-represented over vasculitis and hypercoagulable disorders. Neonates diagnosed with acute stroke were almost exclusively very sick or symptomatic patents. Conclusion Paediatric stroke in rural areas might be under-detected, particularly in neonates or in patients with mild or transient neurological signs. Patients with very high risk for stroke were over-represented in our registry; this support the need for increased awareness about paediatric stroke among practitioners and emergency room doctors in rural locations.