Occipital lobe infarctions are different

OBJECTIVES: We hypothesized that occipital lobe infarctions differ from infarctions in other locations as to etiology, risk factors and prognosis among young adults. METHODS: Location, etiology, risk factors and long-term outcome were evaluated among all young adults 15–49 years suffering from cerebral infarction in Hordaland County, Norway between 1988 and 1997. RESULTS: The following variables were more frequent among patients with occipital lobe infarction compared with patients with infarctions located elsewhere: younger age (P < 0.001), female sex (P = 0.016), prothrombotic state (P = 0.005) and lack of hypertension (P = 0.001). There was no difference as to long-term mortality or recurrence of cerebral infarction. CONCLUSION: Occipital lobe infarctions differ from infarctions in other locations among young adults. This may have important etiologic and therapeutical implications that need further studies.