Role of thrombophilic risk factors in children with non-stroke cerebral palsy

BACKGROUND: Thrombophilic risk factors play an important role in the pathogenesis of perinatal stroke and resultant cerebral palsy (CP). The association between thrombophilia and CP caused by etiologies other than stroke is undetermined. METHODS: We assessed three genetic thrombophilic markers (mutation of Factor V Leiden [FV G1691A], 677T polymorphism of thermolabile methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase [MTHFR] and G20210A mutation of the prothrombin gene) in 49 pediatric patients with non-stroke CP and compared the findings with 118 apparently healthy controls. CP in the study group was due to periventricular leukomalacia (n=27), intraventricular hemorrhage (n=9), hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (n=4), prematurity with no apparent complication (n=8) and intrauterine growth retardation (n=1). Twenty-five children had spastic diplegia, 20 had spastic quadriplegia and 4 had spastic hemiplegia. CP was graded as being severe in 26 children (53%). RESULTS: No significant difference in the prevalence of thrombophilic risk factors was found between the study and control groups. Twelve study children (24.5%) had at least one of the three thrombophilic mutations compared with 27 controls (23%). There was no significant difference in the prevalence of each thrombophilic risk factor in the various etiologic groups and in the subgroups of mild/severe CP and the control group. CONCLUSION: These findings support the notion that thrombophilia neither contributes to the occurrence nor affects the clinical outcome and severity of non-stroke CP.