An Unusual Cause of Bilateral Stroke

Background: Essential Thrombocythemia is one of the myeloproliferative disorders characterised by elevated platelet counts leading to an increased tendency for vessel thrombosis and hemorrhage affecting various organ systems. It is most common in the elderly but can occur at any age. The cerebral circulation is one of the systems affected and acute ischaemic stroke is a rare but described presentation of this disorder. This is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in these patients.

Objective: To describe a case of acute ischaemic stroke in a patient who was subsequently diagnosed as Essential Thrombocythemia.

Presentation of Case: We describe here a case of a 74 year old male who presented with acute ischaemic stroke and left hemiparesis. Investigations revealed high platelet counts and genetic analysis was positive for calr mutation seen in Essential Thrombocythemia. He was started on treatment for stroke along with cytoreductive therapy with hydroxyurea with improvement in symptoms. Through this report, we wish to highlight the importance of early identification and treatment of this uncommon cause of stroke in the elderly.