Methods
This single-center retrospective study included 43 patients with a
diagnosis of COVID-19 and AIS, and 70 patients with AIS without COVID-19
who were followed up in non-COVID-19 intensive care unit (ICU) between
March 2020 and January 2021. All patients with COVID-19 in this study
were diagnosed according to the World Health Organization (WHO)
guidelines, and patients who were positive for SARS-CoV-2 in real-time
reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) from
nasopharyngeal swabs were included. All patients with AIS without
COVID-19 were followed up in the non-COVID-19 ICU after COVID-19 was
excluded through clinical and laboratory findings and negative rRT-PCR
tests from nasopharyngeal swabs.
Demographic characteristics, medical history, symptoms, clinical
findings, laboratory findings, and imaging findings of both groups were
evaluated retrospectively from electronic medical records. The diagnosis
of AIS was confirmed with brain computed tomography (CT) and magnetic
resonance imaging (MRI) findings and clinical symptoms. All neurologic
symptoms were examined and approved by neurologists. Ischemic stroke
types were classified according to the Trial of Org 10 172 in Acute
Stroke Treatment (TOAST) classification (10). Patients with AIS were
divided into four main groups including total anterior circulation
infarction (TACI), partial anterior circulation infarction (PACI),
posterior circulation infarction (POCI), and lacunar infarction (LACI)
according to the Bamford Clinical Classification recommended in the
Oxfordshire Stroke Project (OCSP) study (11).
The modified Rankin scale (MRS) and National Institutes of Health Stroke
Scale (NIHSS) scores were recorded at the time of admission and 1 month
after in all patients. MRS scores 3-6 were considered poor prognosis. In
addition, 30-day mortality was evaluated in the patients.
Demographic data, risk factors, laboratory findings, clinical findings,
prognosis, and mortality were compared between the groups.
Approval was obtained from the Local Ethics Committee (Protocol No:
2021-044) and the Ministry of Health for this retrospective study.