Risk Factors for the Development of Pneumonia in Stroke Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Pneumonia is one of the most prevalent medical complications post-stroke. It can have negative impacts on the prognosis of stroke patients. This study aimed to determine the predictors of pneumonia in stroke patients. The authors devised, reviewed, and enhanced the search strategy in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta -Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Studies were gathered from various electronic databases, including Medline, CINAHL, Cochrane, Embase, and Web of Science, from January 1st, 2011, to February 25th, 2024. The review encompassed studies involving patients aged 18 years and older who were hospitalized for acute stroke care. Inclusion criteria required patients to have received a clinical diagnosis of stroke, confirmed via medical imaging (CT or MRI), hospital primary diagnosis International Classification of Diseases 10th Revision discharge codes, or pathology reporting. A total of 35 studies met the criteria and were included in our pooled analysis. Among them, 23 adopted a retrospective design, while the remaining 12 were prospective. The pooled incidence of pneumonia among patients with stroke was found to be 14% (95% confidence interval = 13%-15%). The pooled analysis reported that advancing age, male gender, a history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the presence of a nasogastric tube, atrial fibrillation, mechanical ventilation, stroke severity, dysphagia, and a history of diabetes were identified as significant risk factors for pneumonia development among stroke patients. Our results underscore the importance of proactive identification and management of these factors to mitigate the risk of pneumonia in stroke patients.