Role of Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase Gene (MTHFR) 677C>T Polymorphism in Pediatric Cerebrovascular Disorders

Homozygosity for the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) 677C > T mutation (MTHFR TT) has been linked to an increased risk for stroke, coronary artery disease, and migraine headaches. The authors analyzed the potential link between MTHFR 677C > T homozygosity and childhood stroke. A true association might facilitate screening, recurrence risk stratification, and treatment in patients with cerebrovascular disease. They performed a retrospective chart review of children tested for the MTHFR 677C >/T mutation; 533 patients underwent MTHFR testing, and 8% were homozygous for the MTHFR 677C > T mutation. There was no difference in the cohort compared with the prevalence in the general population. This suggests that the MTHFR 677 C > T polymorphism played a minimal role or no role in stroke risk. However, the data suggest that the MTHFR TT genotype may influence migraine susceptibility in children because there was a higher proportion of migraine patients (28.6%) with the MTHFR TT homozygous genotype.