New-onset acute ischemic stroke following COVID-19: A case-control study

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Infectious Diseases
• Cardiovascular Medicine

Background:

• Neurological complications of COVID-19 are increasingly recognized.
• COVID-19 is associated with an elevated risk of thromboembolic events.
• Understanding the link between COVID-19 and acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare clinical characteristics and outcomes of COVID-19 patients with and without new-onset AIS.
• To identify factors associated with AIS in COVID-19 patients.

Main Methods:

• A single-center retrospective case-control study was conducted.
• Demographics, clinical data, laboratory findings, and outcomes were compared between 51 COVID-19 patients with AIS and 160 COVID-19 patients without AIS.

Main Results:

• COVID-19 patients with AIS were older and more likely to have critical illness, ICU admission, prolonged hospitalization, and higher mortality.
• Lower oxygen saturation, PH, and HCO3 levels were noted in AIS patients at admission.
• Elevated white blood cell count, neutrophil count, neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio, D-Dimer, BUN, and BUN/Cr ratio were significantly higher in patients with AIS.

Conclusions:

• AIS in COVID-19 is multifactorial, influenced by conventional stroke risk factors and COVID-19 severity.
• Severe COVID-19 increases the risk of ischemic stroke.
• Specific laboratory markers (leukocyte, neutrophil, D-Dimer, BUN) are associated with AIS in COVID-19 patients.