Acute ischemic stroke in a 7-month-old infant, risk factors, and diagnosis peculiarities: A case report

INTRODUCTION: Ischemic stroke is an extremely rare disorder in children. The timely diagnosis is essential for the outcome of these children, but unfortunately, delays in diagnosis occur frequently. PATIENT CONCERNS: We report the case of a 7-month-old infant admitted in our clinic for limited movements of the superior and inferior right limbs whose onset was 27 hours before with repeated clonic movements of the right hand associated with the same manifestations in the right oral commissure lasting approximately 10 seconds. DIAGNOSIS: The laboratory tests revealed high D-dimers, and positive IgG anti-cardiolipin and anti-beta2 glycoproteins I antibodies, whereas the genetic profile for thrombophilia revealed heterozygote mutation in MTHFR C677T and A1298C genes. Brain imaging established the diagnosis of left frontal ischemic stroke, frontal ischemic stroke, hypoplasia of internal carotid artery, and agenesia of segment M1 of median cerebral artery and segment A1 of left anterior cerebral artery. INTERVENTION: We administered low-molecular-weight heparin, antiplatelet therapy along with vasodilators and depletive treatment, wide-spectrum antibiotics, and anticonvulsant therapy. OUTCOME: The neurological deficit was greatly improved, especially in the inferior limb after 6 month from the incident of stroke, and all laboratory parameters were within normal limits including the antibodies mentioned above. CONCLUSION: Cerebral vascular malformation, excessive weight, and altered lipid profiles contributed to the development of acute ischemic stroke in our patient.