A "Post-mortem" of COVID-19-associated Stroke: a Case-control Study

Overview

Journal J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis

Specialties Cardiology & Vascular Diseases
Neurology

Date 2022 Sep 10

PMID 36087377

Authors

Paolo Immovilli

Elena Marchesi

Chiara Terracciano

Nicola Morelli

Veronica Bazzurri

Fabiola Magnifico

Domenica Zaino

Emilio Terlizzi

Paola De Mitri

Stefano Vollaro

Nicola Mometto

Donata Guidetti

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objectives: To assess whether COVID-19 could be a concurrent factor in the genesis and/or worsening of stroke and to provide data on COVID-19 -associated stroke patients during the first pandemic wave and comparative data on COVID-19 negative stroke patients in the same period.

Materials And Methods: This is a retrospective, observational, case-control, single centre study, carried out in a General Hospital in northern Italy. Sixty-three consecutive stroke patients were included, COVID-19-associated stroke was classified as cases and non COVID-19-associated stroke as controls.

Results: A total of 19/63 (28.8%) had a COVID-19-associated stroke, 11 /63 (17.5%) were haemorrhagic and 52/63 (82.5%) ischaemic. COVID-19-associated strokes were more severe (p-value 0.019) and had a higher risk of severe disability and/or death (OR 3.79, CI 95%: 1.21-11.93, p-value 0.19). The COVID-19-associated stroke patients with onset during hospitalization for COVID-19 had a more severe stroke than patients with COVID-19 onset during hospitalization for stroke (p-value 0.019).

Conclusion: Although no relationship was observed between the stroke aetiology and COVID-19, intriguingly, COVID-associated stroke turned out to be more severe and disabling. Hopefully, further studies will provide more data and help in the management of this emerging population.

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