International journal of stroke : official journal of the International Stroke Society
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Pediatric stroke is significantly less common than stroke in adults, but represents a major challenge to public health authorities. The aim of this retrospective study was to identify the total and annual number of children younger than 18 years with arterial ischaemic stroke and transient ischaemic attack referred to the Children's Hospital Zagreb, which is a major national centre specialised for the treatment and prevention of stroke in children. We reviewed the medical records of the Department of Neuropediatrics database at the Children's Hospital Zagreb between 1998-2005 in order to provide demographic and clinical characteristics and neuroimaging findings in children with arterial ischaemic stroke. ⋯ Male predominance was found in children with arterial ischaemic stroke with a male : female ratio of 1.76 : 1, and was slightly higher in childhood arterial ischaemic stroke compared with perinatal arterial ischaemic stroke (2 : 1 and 1.56 : 1, respectively). In contrast, transient ischaemic attack was more frequently found in girls, and more likely identified in older children compared with younger children with arterial ischaemic stroke. Obtained data will contribute to better understanding of paediatric stroke in Croatia and will provide a base for the establishment of the national referral center and national pediatric stroke registry.