Abstract
Introduction: Stroke as a presenting feature of COVID-19 infection is being increasingly recognized. The prevalence of malignant middle cerebral artery syndrome (MMC) in acute stroke associated with COVID-19 is yet unknown. Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study of ischemic stroke patients admitted in a health center in Brazil. We investigated the prevalence of malignant middle cerebral artery syndrome in COVID-19 and associated stroke patients. Results: We included 881 ischemic stroke patients (53% male). COVID-19 patients represented 5.3% (N = 47). Mean age was 65.6 years (SD 13.2). COVID-19 patients were significantly younger (mean: 61.4 years; SD: 13.5; p = 0.025) and disclosed a higher odds of previous ischemic heart disease (OR: 4.1 - CI: 1.98-8.16). The frequency of main stroke risk factors was similar for both groups. COVID-19 patients had significantly higher NIHSS (11 points vs 8.2 in non-Covid-19 group - p = 0.006). MMC occurred more frequently in COVID-19 patients (19.5% vs 4.1% of non-covid-19 group - p < 0.001) (Risk ratio: 5.1; CI: 2.63-10.01 - p < 0.001). COVID-19 stroke patients had a longer hospital stay (p < 0.001) and disclosed a higher risk for in-hospital infection (Risk ratio: 4.3 - CI: 2.47-7.53). Rankin scale at 90 days was significantly higher for COVID-19 patients (p <0.001). Case-fatality was higher among COVID-19 stroke patients (49.4% vs 2.5% in non-covid-19 group; p < 0.0001). Among those patients with MMC, the lethality was significantly higher among COVID-19 patients (66.6% vs 41.3% in non-covid-19 group; p< 0.0001). Multivariate logistic regression with MMC as outcome and adjusted for age, sex, NIHSS and comorbidity index, disclosed COVID-19 infection as the main independent preditor for MMC (OR: 6.3 - CI: 2.26-17.52 - p < 0.0001 - adjusted R2 = 0.2623). Conclusion: In this cohort study, COVID-19 infection was an independent predictor for malignant middle cerebral artery syndrome in ischemic stroke.
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