Validation of the focal cerebral arteriopathy severity score (FCASS) in a Swiss cohort: Correlation with infarct volume and outcome

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Focal cerebral arteriopathy (FCA), a major cause of childhood arterial ischemic stroke (AIS), can progress and lead to increased infarct size and/or recurrent stroke. Evaluating treatment options depends on the ability to quantify reliably the degree of stenosis in FCA. AIMS: We validated the recently introduced FCA severity score (FCASS) in an independent cohort from the Swiss Neuro-Paediatric Stroke Registry (SNPSR). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We included children with FCA who had MR or CT angiography and a Pediatric Stroke Outcome Measure (PSOM) at 6-months and 2-years post-stroke. A paediatric neuroradiologist applied the FCASS and the modified pediatric Alberta Stroke Program Ea..