Stroke in Children: Key Advances in the Field and the Next 20 Years

Abstract

Cerebral arteriopathy, a frequent cause of stroke in children, and its relation to infection have been an active area of research with 2 large observational studies completed (VIPS I and II). 11,12 Two multicenter clinical trials are in progress that aim to determine if high-dose methylprednisolone in children with focal cerebral arteriopathy can improve or stabilize disease and reduce arterial ischemic stroke recurrence (the PASTA trial [Pediatric Arteriopathy Steroid Aspirin] and the FOCAS trial [Focal Cerebral Arteriopathy Steroid]). 13,14 The genetics of more diverse arteriopathies are not well understood but rapid progress suggests these will be important targets in the coming decades.