Turner syndrome is well known to be associated with significant cardiovascular abnormalities. This paper studied the incidence of cardiovascular abnormalities in asymptomatic adolescent patients with Turner syndrome using multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) instead of echocardiography. Twenty subjects diagnosed with Turner syndrome who had no cardiac symptoms were included. Blood pressure and electrocardiography (ECG) was checked. Cardiovascular abnormalities were checked by MDCT. According to the ECG results, 11 had a prolonged QTc interval, 5 had a posterior fascicular block, 3 had a ventricular conduction disorder. MDCT revealed vascular abnormalities in 13 patients (65%). Three patients had an aberrant right subclavian artery, 2 had dilatation of left subclavian artery, and others had an aortic root dilatation, aortic diverticulum, and abnormal left vertebral artery. As for venous abnormalities, 3 patients had partial anomalous pulmonary venous return and 2 had a persistent left superior vena cava. This study found cardiovascular abnormalities in 65% of asymptomatic Turner syndrome patients using MDCT. Even though, there are no cardiac symptoms in Turner syndrome patients, a complete evaluation of the heart with echocardiography or MDCT at transition period to adults must be performed.
Adolescent ; Blood Pressure ; Cardiovascular Abnormalities/complications/epidemiology ; Electrocardiography ; Humans ; Karyotyping ; Multidetector Computed Tomography ; Prevalence ; Turner Syndrome/complications/*diagnosis/radiography ; Vascular Malformations/complications/epidemiology ; Vertebral Artery/abnormalities ; Young Adult

INTRODUCTIONWhile paediatric strokes are fairly uncommon, they are often associated with significant long-term disability. Diagnosis is often delayed because of the need to exclude conditions that mimic stroke. Understanding the outcomes related to stroke in children is important in the development of secondary prevention strategies. The aim of this study was to evaluate the epidemiology of childhood stroke in a tertiary paediatric unit in Singapore and to assess factors influencing outcome in these children.

MATERIALS AND METHODSA retrospective case-note review of all childhood strokes presenting to the Children's Medical Institute (CMI) at the National University Hospital (NUH), Singapore between October 1999 and May 2006. Data collected include demographic factors, clinical presentation, diagnosis, subsequent management and follow-up using specific outcome measures.

RESULTSTwenty-six children with a median age of 8.0 years at presentation were identified, comprising 15 ischaemic strokes (57.7%), 10 haemorrhagic strokes (38.5%) and 1 patient with both ischaemic and haemorrhagic lesions. The most common symptoms at presentation were seizures (15/26, 57.7%), lethargy (11/26, 42.3%), hemiparesis (10/26, 38.5%) and altered levels of consciousness (10/26, 38.5%). Vascular abnormalities accounted for 50% of strokes in our study population. The average length of follow-up was 33.2 months (range, 1 to 120) with only 11 children (11/26, 42.3%) achieving full recovery. Significant prognostic factors include altered consciousness and seizures at presentation, lesions in both cortical and subcortical locations, systemic disease aetiology, neurological deficits at discharge and seizures at the time of discharge.

CONCLUSIONLong-term neurological, neuropsychological and functional impairment are common in survivors of paediatric strokes. Certain clinical features and lesion characteristics are useful indicators of prognosis in these children.

Adolescent ; Age Factors ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Brain Ischemia ; epidemiology ; etiology ; rehabilitation ; Cerebral Hemorrhage ; etiology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Developmental Disabilities ; etiology ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Intracranial Arteriovenous Malformations ; complications ; Length of Stay ; statistics & numerical data ; Male ; Neuropsychological Tests ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Assessment ; Risk Factors ; Singapore ; epidemiology ; Stroke ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Stroke Rehabilitation ; Treatment Outcome ; Vascular Diseases ; complications