ESOC 2023 | Clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential as a novel risk factor for stroke

Ernst Mayerhofer, MD, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, MA, introduces clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP) as a novel risk factor for stroke. CHIP occurs as a result of the acquisition of somatic mutations in hematopoietic cells that drive clonal expansion. The clonal expansion occurs in the absence of other criteria for hematologic neoplasia, such as cytopenias and dysplastic hematopoiesis. In his recent study, Dr Mayerhofer assessed the prevalence and therapeutic implications of CHIP in young patients with stroke. In more than 250 patients with stroke under the age of 60, genetic screening for genes recurrently mutated in hematologic neoplasms identified CHIP in 21% of patients. Compared to age-matched healthy controls, CHIP occurred 3-fold more in the young stroke population. Additionally, two patients who underwent further hematologic assessment were found to have undiagnosed myeloproliferative neoplasms. It remains unclear what role CHIP may play in stroke etiology and how best to treat CHIP in the context of stroke, but the study does demonstrate the benefits of genetic screening in young patients with stroke. This interview took place during the European Stroke Organisation Conference (ESOC) in Munich, Germany.

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