Abstract
Background and aimHCV infection is associated with increased risk of ischemic cerebral stroke. HCV stroked patients are younger with a lower burden of classical risk factors and higher levels of systemic inflammation. The present study aimed to discover the association between HCV infection functional outcome of stroke.Patients and methodsThe present prospective study included 60 patients with acute ischemic stroke. All patients were subjected to careful history taking and through clinical and neurological examination. Stroke severity at presentation was assessed using National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS). Quantitative HCV RNA test was used to diagnose HCV infection. The prognosis of the studied patients was 3 months after treatment using modified Rankin scale (mRS) for neurologic disability.ResultsThe present study was conducted on 60 patients with ischemic stroke. They comprised 13 patients (21.7%) with HCV and 47 patients without. Stroke patients with HCV had significantly higher frequency of carotid artery stenosis, higher NIHSS (17.9 ± 6.9 versus 9.9 ± 5.3, p < 0.001) and higher frequency of severe stroke (46.1% versus 4.3%, p = 0.001) when compared with patients without HCV. Logistic regression analysis identified patients’ sex, NIHSS and HCV as significant predictors of outcome in univariate analysis. However, in multivariate analysis, only NIHSS proved to be significant.ConclusionsThe present study suggests a significant link between chronic HCV infection and ischemic stroke severity and poor outcome. This is probably related to the pathogenic effects of the chronic inflammatory state induced by HCV infection on the cerebral microvasculature.
Highlights
Cerebrovascular stroke is the second most common cause of death after cardiovascular ischemia and the third most common cause of disability worldwide [1]
The present study was conducted on 60 patients with ischemic stroke
The present study suggests a significant link between chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and ischemic stroke severity and poor outcome
Summary
Cerebrovascular stroke is the second most common cause of death after cardiovascular ischemia and the third most common cause of disability worldwide [1]. Different modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors have been recognized for stroke. Non-modifiable risk factors are gender, age, ethnicity, heredity, and race. It was noted that HCV infection is associated with an increased risk of cerebrovascular mortality, for those with elevated serum HCV RNA levels [6]. HCV infection is associated with increased risk of ischemic cerebral stroke. HCV stroked patients are younger with a lower burden of classical risk factors and higher levels of systemic inflammation. The present study aimed to discover the association between HCV infection functional outcome of stroke
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