Comparison of patients with acute ischemic stroke with and without COVID-19

Objectives: Information on the incidence of acute ischemic stroke (AIS), which is an important cause of morbidity and mortality, its association with COVID-19, and its course in infected patients in this pandemic period is limited. In this study, it was aimed to compare the demographic, clinical and stroke characteristics, and the laboratory, prognosis and mortality findings of patients with AIS with and without COVID-19. Methods: This study included 43 patients with a positive nasopharyngeal PCR test who were followed up for AIS, and 70 patients without COVID-19 who were followed up for AIS during the same period from the Konya Numune State Hospital, Turkey. Results: Poor prognosis and mortality were found to be significantly higher in the AIS group with COVID-19 compared with the non-COVID-19 AIS group. In the AIS group with COVID-19, a higher rate of intensive care unit (ICU) need (40% vs. 5%), higher intubation rate (35% vs. 3%) and longer hospital stay (12.9 +/- 10.8 vs. 6.6 +/- 4.0 days) were observed. In the laboratory examinations, C-reactive protein, ferritin, D-dimer, troponin, and lactate dehydrogenase levels were found to be significantly higher in patients with AIS who were positive for COVID-19. An increase in D-dimer, ferritin and thrombocytopenia were found to be associated with mortality in the COVID-19 positive AIS group. Conclusion: Patients with AIS and COVID-19 had a higher rate of ICU need, higher intubation rate, longer hospital stay, higher mortality, and poorer prognosis than those without COVID-19. High levels of ferritin, D-dimer and fibrin degradation products were associated with a poor prognosis.