[COVID-19 and cerebral stroke].

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Infectious Diseases
• Critical Care Medicine

Background:

• Stroke patients diagnosed with COVID-19 during acute treatment present unique clinical challenges.
• Understanding the impact of concurrent COVID-19 infection on stroke outcomes is crucial for patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze mortality rates in stroke patients with COVID-19.
• To evaluate the rehabilitation potential and clinical course of stroke in patients coinfected with COVID-19.
• To identify prognostic markers for COVID-19 in stroke patients.

Main Methods:

• A comparative study involving 50 acute stroke patients with COVID-19 and 50 control stroke patients.
• Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) used to detect SARS-CoV-2.
• Assessment of neurological recovery using the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and functional disability via the modified Rankin scale.

Main Results:

• COVID-19 was confirmed by PCR in 76% of the study group; viral symptoms often appeared after stroke onset.
• Mortality was significantly higher in the COVID-19 stroke group (30%) compared to the control group (6%).
• COVID-19 stroke patients showed poorer neurological recovery (NIHSS) and higher rates of moderate to severe disability (66% on modified Rankin scale). Lymphopenia was observed in 52% of the COVID-19 group.

Conclusions:

• Concurrent COVID-19 infection in stroke patients is associated with increased mortality, reduced neurological recovery, and greater disability.
• Lymphopenia in stroke patients may indicate the presence of COVID-19 and predict lung tissue damage severity.
• These findings highlight the detrimental effect of COVID-19 on stroke outcomes and suggest lymphopenia as a potential prognostic indicator.