Abstract
Objective: Neurological symptoms occur due to central and peripheral nervous system involvement with different mechanisms in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Microvascular thrombosis develops with prothrombotic activation along with the increase in cytokines in COVID-19 infection. We aimed to investigate the incidence of cerebrovascular disease and concomitant risk factors in COVID-19 positive patients.
Materials and Methods: Acute and temporally related cerebrovascular diseases with a diagnosis of COVID-19 were evaluated. Cerebrovascular events were assessed in 4 groups as ischemic and hemorrhagic events, transient ischemic attacks, and cerebral venous thrombosis. Risk factors for cerebrovascular disease in these patients were also assessed, and which risk factors for cerebrovascular diseases in COVID-19 patients are high risk were examined.
Results: Of the 1000 patients with COVID-19 disease were evaluated. Ischemic cerebrovascular disease and/or transient ischemic attack were found in 14 patients (1.4%). The most common symptoms related to COVID-19 were fever and respiratory distress in 14 patients with acute ischemic stroke diagnosed with COVID-19.
Conclusion: COVID-19 increases the risk of stroke in patients with multiple risk factors. Close follow-up should be performed more carefully, especially in patients with pulmonary involvement and acute ischemic stroke, because mortality is likely to be higher.