Risk of Ischemic Stroke in Patients with Covid-19 versus Patients with Influenza.

TitleRisk of Ischemic Stroke in Patients with Covid-19 versus Patients with Influenza.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2020
AuthorsMerkler AE, Parikh NS, Mir S, Gupta A, Kamel H, Lin E, Lantos J, Schenck EJ, Goyal P, Bruce SS, Kahan J, Lansdale KN, LeMoss NM, Murthy SB, Stieg PE, Fink ME, Iadecola C, Segal AZ, Campion TR, Díaz I, Zhang C, Navi BB
JournalmedRxiv
Date Published2020 May 21
Abstract

IMPORTANCE: Case series without control groups suggest that Covid-19 may cause ischemic stroke, but whether Covid-19 is associated with a higher risk of ischemic stroke than would be expected from a viral respiratory infection is uncertain.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the rate of ischemic stroke between patients with Covid-19 and patients with influenza, a respiratory viral illness previously linked to stroke.

DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study.

SETTING: Two academic hospitals in New York City.

PARTICIPANTS: We included adult patients with emergency department visits or hospitalizations with Covid-19 from March 4, 2020 through May 2, 2020. Our comparison cohort included adult patients with emergency department visits or hospitalizations with influenza A or B from January 1, 2016 through May 31, 2018 (calendar years spanning moderate and severe influenza seasons). Exposures: Covid-19 infection confirmed by evidence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in the nasopharynx by polymerase chain reaction, and laboratory-confirmed influenza A or B. Main Outcomes and Measures: A panel of neurologists adjudicated the primary outcome of acute ischemic stroke and its clinical characteristics, etiological mechanisms, and outcomes. We used logistic regression to compare the proportion of Covid-19 patients with ischemic stroke versus the proportion among patients with influenza.

RESULTS: Among 2,132 patients with emergency department visits or hospitalizations with Covid-19, 31 patients (1.5%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.0%-2.1%) had an acute ischemic stroke. The median age of patients with stroke was 69 years (interquartile range, 66-78) and 58% were men. Stroke was the reason for hospital presentation in 8 (26%) cases. For our comparison cohort, we identified 1,516 patients with influenza, of whom 0.2% (95% CI, 0.0-0.6%) had an acute ischemic stroke. After adjustment for age, sex, and race, the likelihood of stroke was significantly higher with Covid-19 than with influenza infection (odds ratio, 7.5; 95% CI, 2.3-24.9).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Approximately 1.5% of patients with emergency department visits or hospitalizations with Covid-19 experienced ischemic stroke, a rate 7.5-fold higher than in patients with influenza. Future studies should investigate the thrombotic mechanisms in Covid-19 in order to determine optimal strategies to prevent disabling complications like ischemic stroke.

DOI10.1101/2020.05.18.20105494
Alternate JournalmedRxiv
PubMed ID32511527
PubMed Central IDPMC7273295
Grant ListK23 NS091395 / NS / NINDS NIH HHS / United States
R01 HL144541 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
UL1 TR000457 / TR / NCATS NIH HHS / United States