Clinical and laboratory characteristics of patients with COVID-19 followed up due to acute ischemic stroke

Abstract

Background/Aim: As coronavirus infectious disease 2019 (COVID-19) spreads worldwide, there is increasing evidence of an association between COVID-19 and vascular diseases. However, there are limited data on the clinical characteristics, stroke mechanisms, and prognosis of stroke patients with COVID-19. We aimed to evaluate the clinical and laboratory features and prognosis of patients with COVID-19 who were followed up due to acute ischemic stroke. Methods: Fifty-six patients with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 and acute ischemic stroke were included in this retrospective study. The demographic characteristics, medical history, symptoms, clinical, laboratory and imaging findings of the patients were evaluated retrospectively. The patients were divided into two groups according to the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score in the first month, as those with good or poor prognosis. Results: There were forty (71%) males, 16 (29%) females, and their overall mean age was 69.21 (8.77) (55-90) years. Fifty (89.2%) of 56 patients had pneumonia findings in chest computed tomography. The mortality rate was 35.7% (n=10) and 26 patients (46.4%) had a poor prognosis according to the mRS scores. Increased C-reactive protein and D-dimer levels were associated with mortality in the COVID-19 positive acute ischemic stroke patients (P=0.035, P=0.023). Conclusion: The COVID-19–associated coagulopathy increases mortality and grossly affects the course of the infectious process. Inflammation markers may be associated with poor prognosis in stroke patients with COVID-19.

Keywords

• COVID-19
• SARS-CoV-2
• Stroke
• D-dimer
• Mortality

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