Degree of COVID-19 severity and mortality in stroke: correlation of clinical and laboratory parameters

BACKGROUND: Stroke is one of the neurological manifestations of COVID-19, leading to a significant risk of morbidity and mortality.

Clinical manifestations and laboratory parameters were investigated to determine mortality predictors in this case.

METHOD: The case control study was conducted at Dr. Sardjito General Hospital,Yogyakarta, Indonesia, with data collected between July 2020 and August 2021.

All recorded clinical and laboratory data from acute stroke patients with confirmed COVID-19 were collected.

Baseline characteristics, bivariate, and multivariate analyses were assessed to determine significant predictors for mortality.

RESULT: This study involved 72 subjects with COVID-19 and stroke.

The majority experienced ischemic stroke, with hypertension as the most prevalent comorbidity.

Notably, 45.8% of subjects (p < 0.05) loss of consciousness and 72.2% of exhibited motor deficits (p < 0.05).

Severe degree of COVID-19 was observed in 52.8% of patients, with respiratory distress and death rates of 56.9% and 58.3%.

Comparison of surviving and deceased groups highlighted significant differences in various clinical and laboratory characteristics differences.

Hazard ratio (HR) analysis identified loss of consciousness (HR = 2.68; p = 0.01), motor deficit (HR = 2.34; p = 0.03), respiratory distress (HR = 81.51; p < 0.001), and monocyte count (HR:1.002; p = 0.04) as significant predictors of mortality.

CONCLUSION: Mortality in COVID-19 patients with stroke was significantly associated with loss of consciousness, motor deficit, respiratory distress, and raised monocyte count.

The risk of mortality is heightened when multiple factors coexist.