Abstract 3854: Family History Of Cervical Artery Dissection In A Large Multicenter Cohort: The CADISP Study

Abstract

Background: Little data is available on familial occurrence of cervical artery dissection (CEAD), a major cause of ischemic stroke in young adults. We aimed to examine the prevalence of family history of CEAD in a large multicenter cohort of CEAD patients and compare characteristics of CEAD patients with and without such a family history. Methods: Across 18 neurological departments in 8 countries, consecutive patients with a diagnosis of CEAD were included in the CADISP (Cervical Artery Dissection and Ischemic Stroke Patients) cohort study following a standardized protocol and using the same questionnaire. Results: Among 921 consecutive CEAD patients, 11 patients (1.2%, 95%CI:0.5-1.9%) from 9 families (1.0%, 0.3-1.6%) had a family history of CEAD, mostly in a first degree relative (64%). One patient without family history of CEAD had biologically confirmed vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, while none of the patients with a family history of CEAD had a diagnosis of known inherited connective tissue disorder. Risk factors, baseline features, and 3-month outcome did not differ significantly between CEAD patients with and without a family history of CEAD. Conclusion: In the largest series of CEAD patients to date, family history of CEAD was very rare, although slightly higher than expected by chance given the low disease incidence.