Why do newborns suffer from focal ischemic stroke?

In most cases the etiology of the focal ischemic stroke in newborns is stil l obscure. We considered patients with congenital hemiparesis due to a lesi on in the territory of the middle cerebral artery (shown by CT or MRI) as a model of this infarction. A detailed history including maternal and familiar data was obtained from 9 affected patients. Duplex-sonography was performed and biochemical paramet ers were analysed in all patients and their mothers. There were no convinci ng hints for a prenatal (for instance infectious, traumatic or toxic) origi n. Also the reconstruction of the perinatal period could not explain the in farction. Duplex-sonography revealed no anatomic variants of the intra- or extracerebral arteries. Haemostasiological results were within normal limit s - except the antiphospholipid antibodies, which were detected in 7 of the 9 families (patient or mother). The significance of these results is still unknown. We propose, antiphospho lipid antibodies and further haemostasiological parameters should be invest igated as near as possible to the neonatal period.