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Updated: Oct 6, 2025
A Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion Technique for Inducing Post-stroke Depression in Rats
Published on: May 22, 2019
[COVID-19 and cerebral stroke]
V G Pomnikov1, I V Sakovskiy1, T A Yashchikhina2
1Saint-Petersburg Institute of Advanced Training of Medical Experts, St. Petersburg, Russia.
Insights
Patients with stroke and COVID-19 experienced higher mortality and worse recovery. Lymphopenia may predict COVID-19 presence and lung damage severity in stroke patients.
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.
Objective:
To analyze mortality rates, rehabilitation potential, and features of the course of stroke in patients with COVID-19.
Material And Methods:
The study included 50 patients in the acute period of stroke who were diagnosed with a new coronavirus infection during treatment. For comparison, we selected a group of 50 patients who had stroke during this period.
Results:
In the study group, the virus was identified in 38 (76%) patients by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The onset of symptoms of acute respiratory viral infection or fever was observed on average 11 days after the onset of neurological symptoms. Only in 10 (20%) patients, a PCR smear showed a positive result in the first 24 hours after the development of a stroke. In the main group, death was observed in 30% (n=15) of cases; in the comparison group - in 6% (n=3) cases. Also, in the main group of patients, a lower degree of recovery of impaired neurological functions was noted on the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS). At discharge from the hospital, 33 (66%) patients had moderate and severe disabilities according to the modified Rankin scale (3-4 points). The differences were statistically significant, as in the main group there was more pronounced disability than in the control group. Lymphopenia was noted in 26 (52%) patients of the main group on admission.
Conclusion:
Increased mortality rate, decreased recovery of neurological functions and severe disabilities are observed in the group of patients with stroke who were infected by COVID-19. Lymphopenia in a patient with stroke can serve as a prognostic marker of the possible presence of COVID-19 and the degree of lung tissue damage.
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