Patterns and features of the course of the early and late stages recovery period after ischemic stroke associated with COVID-19

Abstract

Introduction. COVID-19 increases the risk of ischemic stroke (IS), but the impact of COVID-19 on the recovery period of IS remains poorly understood.The aim of the study – to identify patterns and features of the course and manifestations of the early and late stages of the recovery period after ischemic stroke associated with COVID-19.Materials and methods. The combined retro-prospective study included 81 patients. Patients were divided into three groups: 1) development of stroke followed by outcome in ischemic stroke (IS) associated with COVID-19 (n = 21); 2) COVID-19 infection without stroke (n = 40); 3) development of stroke without COVID-19 (n = 20). All subjects were interviewed by telephone within 12 months from the date of discharge from the hospital. In patients with stroke, the severity of stroke (NIHSS scale), functional status (Rankine scale), and daily activity level (Bartel scale) were studied. All subjects were interviewed by telephone within 12 months from the moment of discharge from the hospital, the following were assessed: complaints, general condition of patients, the patient’s level of activity and ability to self-care, emotional status and the presence of anxiety and depressive disorders. The following were retrospectively assessed: stroke severity, functional status, volume of lung lesions according to MSCT, the presence of cardiovascular diseases, indicators of general and biochemical blood tests, changes in blood levels of cytokines IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, TNF-α.Results. The highest mortality at the post-hospital stage (only 67 and 47% of the total number of deaths) was in patients who had an ischemic stroke associated with COVID-19; half of them were registered in the first 3 months; by the end of the 6th month, this figure was 79%. Deaths in patients with IS due to COVID-19 occur 6 months earlier than in the group of patients with stroke without COVID-19. The leading causes of fatal outcomes in patients with IS due to COVID-19 in the first 3 months were acute myocardial infarction and repeated strokes. A high frequency of unfavorable rehabilitation prognoses and deaths both in the acute period of the disease and at the post-hospital stage was observed in patients with high comorbidity with forms of pathology of the circulatory system.Conclusion. Patients who have had an ischemic stroke associated with COVID-19, in the first 3 months of the post-hospital period, are at an increased risk of developing thrombotic complications and death and require special attention of outpatient doctors in this period after discharge from the hospital.