COVID-19 and Stroke: Evaluating Correlations, Risk Factors, and Patient Outcomes

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been associated with a range of neurological complications, including an increased risk of stroke. This study aimed to examine the relationship between COVID-19 and stroke risk in hospitalized patients. A retrospective cohort study was conducted involving 280 patients with COVID-19 and 300 non-COVID-19 controls. Sociodemographic data, medical history, COVID-19 characteristics, and inflammatory biomarkers were analyzed using chi-square tests and unpaired Student's t-tests to assess associations with stroke occurrence. Sociodemographic factors, including age, sex, smoking status, and prevalence of chronic conditions, did not significantly differ between the two groups (p > 0.05). However, COVID-19 patients exhibited a higher prevalence of ischemic stroke (n = 17, 6.07%), hemorrhagic stroke (n = 4, 1.43%), and cerebral venous thrombosis (n = 3, 1.07%) compared to non-COVID-19 controls (p = 0.019). Severe COVID-19, prolonged illness (>2 weeks), low oxygen saturation (<70%), and cytokine storm were significantly associated with increased stroke risk (p < 0.05). Elevated interleukin-6 levels were also strongly correlated with stroke occurrence (p = 0.001). Notably, 66.7% (n = 16) of strokes occurred within the first month of infection. This study underscores the importance of considering demographic, medical, and COVID-19-related factors when assessing stroke risk in patients with COVID-19. The findings also highlight the potential role of inflammatory biomarkers, particularly interleukin-6, as indicators of stroke risk in this population.