Clinical comparison of acute stroke cases with and without COVID-19

Abstract

Background We aimed to assess acute stroke cases with and without coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) positivity concerning clinical features and the number of hospitalizations acute stroke cases compared to the previous year. Methods Acute stroke patients with and without COVID-19 positivity, including those who were hospitalized in the neurology service and intensive care unit of tertiary healthcare center between 17 December 2020 and 31 January 2021 due to acute stroke, were included in this cross-sectional study. Results Mortality (p=0.042) and mechanical ventilation use (p=0.041) were more frequent in COVID-19-positive stroke patients compared to those without COVID-19. The most common type of stroke in COVID-19-positive acute stroke patients was ischemic stroke (69.23%). Additionally, stroke patients with COVID-19 had a significantly higher percentage of kidney disease compared to those without COVID-19 (p=0.009). We also observed that the number of acute stroke cases hospitalized in our hospital during the pandemic decreased significantly compared to the previous year (p=0.036). Conclusion Since the majority of our patients were diagnosed with COVID-19 after admission to the hospital due to stroke, it should be kept in mind that patients who apply to the hospital with stroke symptoms may also have COVID-19, even if they are asymptomatic.