Risk Factors Related to the Incidence of Stroke-Associated Pneumonia in Adults: Protocol for a Scoping Review
Ana Karolina Ibanhes1, Pryscilla Kathiana Maia Freitas da Silveira Redigolo1, Anna Alicia Pereira Duarte1
1Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil.
Background:
Cerebrovascular diseases represent a major public health challenge, and stroke is among the leading causes of mortality worldwide. Among poststroke complications, pneumonia stands out because of its frequency and negative impact on clinical outcomes, including prolonged hospitalization and increased mortality. In this context, studies investigating the risk factors associated with stroke-related pneumonia differ in terms of their design, care setting, and adopted definitions.
Objective:
This study aims to map risk factors related to the incidence of pneumonia in adults hospitalized after stroke.
Methods:
This scoping review protocol was developed in accordance with the JBI Reviewer's Manual and the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews). Searches will include the following indexed databases: PubMed (MEDLINE), Embase, Scopus, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and the Virtual Health Library. Gray literature will be searched in Google Scholar, the CAPES Theses and Dissertations Catalog, the Brazilian Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations, ProQuest, SciELO Preprints, medRxiv, ClinicalTrials.gov, and the Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials. Additional organizational sources will include the World Health Organization, the Pan American Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the European Stroke Organisation, and the Brazilian Ministry of Health. Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods studies, including observational and experimental designs, will be considered, with no language or time restrictions, provided that they meet the eligibility criteria defined in the protocol. Study selection will follow 3 stages using Mendeley (Elsevier) and Rayyan (Rayyan Systems Inc).
Results:
This protocol was funded in June 2026 by the Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul and the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (Finance Code 001). The protocol was developed and prospectively registered in the Open Science Framework. Preliminary searches were carried out in August 2025 in PubMed (MEDLINE), Embase, and the Cochrane Library to test the sensitivity of the search strategies and estimate the potential volume of eligible studies. At the time of publication, the final search, study selection, data extraction, and evidence synthesis had been completed. The manuscript reporting the final review results is expected to be submitted for publication in early 2027.
Conclusions:
This review is expected to contribute to the systematization of evidence on risk factors related to stroke-associated pneumonia, identify knowledge gaps, and support future prevention strategies and clinical management of hospitalized patients.
Trial Registration:
Open Science Framework 10.17605/OSF.IO/EXYWZ; https://osf.io/exywz/overview.
International Registered Report Identifier (Irrid):
PRR1-10.2196/90248.
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