OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical characteristics of dissections of cerebral arteries in @entity1 . METHODS: Searches of MEDLINE (1966-2000) and bibliographies were systematically performed for English-language publications that described @entity1 <18 years old with @entity18213 ( @entity18213 ) or posterior circulation @entity4066 (PCAD). RESULTS: A total of 2,027 studies were reviewed; 118 @entity1 were identified in 79 studies. Seventy-four percent of @entity1 with @entity18213 (n = 73) and 87% with PCAD (n = 47) were male (p < 0.0001). When @entity1 with preceding @entity130 were excluded, this male predominance persisted. All @entity1 had evidence of @entity2806 at the time of diagnosis. @entity10 was reported in approximately half of @entity1 . Sixty percent of @entity18213 were intracranial. @entity18213 with no preceding @entity130 were more commonly intracranial than those preceded by significant @entity130 (86 vs 25%, p = 0.002). The most common location for PCAD was the vertebral artery at the level of the C1-C2 vertebral bodies (53%). Recurrent @entity63 events after the diagnosis of dissection were reported in 15% of PCAD and 5% of @entity18213 cases. None of the PCAD group and 10% of the @entity18213 group had recurrent dissections. CONCLUSIONS: There is a marked male predominance among @entity1 with cerebral @entity4066 that is not explained by @entity130 . Unlike adult @entity18213 , childhood @entity18213 are most commonly intracranial. Spontaneous @entity18213 , in particular, tend to be intracranial, while post-traumatic @entity18213 are more often extracranial. The vertebral artery segment most susceptible to dissection is similar between @entity1 and adults.

@entity4066 and stroke in XXXX .

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['children', 'patients'] @entity2806 :: ('MESH:D002545', 'Disease') :: ['cerebral ischemia'] @entity63 :: ('MESH:D007511', 'Disease') :: ['ischemic'] @entity130 :: ('MESH:D014947', 'Disease') :: ['trauma'] @entity18213 :: ('MESH:D020759', 'Disease') :: ['ACAD', 'anterior circulation arterial dissections'] @entity10 :: ('MESH:D006261', 'Disease') :: ['Headache'] @entity4066 :: ('MESH:D020217', 'Disease') :: ['arterial dissections']
@entity1 :: (9606,Species) :: ['children']
