Clinical features of patients with cryptogenic stroke and COVID-19

Introduction: While coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been associated with acute ischemic stroke (AIS), the causal relationship has yet to be elucidated. Factors that likely confer increased stroke risk are COVID-19-associated coagulopathy and hyperinflammatory response. Studying clinical features of patients with otherwise undetermined cause of AIS could help better define COVID-19-associated stroke. Methods: We performed a multicenter cross-sectional study of consecutive patients presenting with AIS and COVID-19 to one of two large healthcare systems in New York City during the local COVID- 19 surge from March 1, 2020 to May 31, 2020. In-hospital stroke cases were excluded. We compared demographic and clinical features of patients with COVID-19 and a cryptogenic AIS subtype to patients with COVID-19 and a determined subtype. Baseline characteristics and clinical variables were compared using chi-squared and Fisher exact tests. Results: A total of 62 patients with AIS and COVID-19 at the time of hospital arrival were identified. Of these, 30 were classified as having a cryptogenic subtype (80% after complete diagnotics evaluation), and 32 had an identifiable stroke mechanism. Patients with cryptogenic AIS were significantly younger (p=0.011) and less likely to have co-morbid hypertension (p=0.019), coronary artery disease (p=0.024), heart failure (p=0.039), atrial fibrillation (<0.0001), and prior stroke or TIA (p=0.033) compared to those with defined mechanisms. Further, d-dimer, but not C-reactive protein, was significantly higher in patients with cryptogenic stroke compared to those with defined causes (p=0.009). Conclusion: Patients with AIS in the setting of COVID-19 and no other determined stroke mechanism were younger, less likely to have classic risk factors, and had higher d-dimer levels when compared to those with a determined mechanism. Further study of COVID-19-associated hypercoagulability as a mechanism of stroke is warranted.

The Impact of COVID-19 on Emergent Large-Vessel Occlusion: Delayed Presentation Confirmed by ASPECTS.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Our hypothesis is that the COVID-19 pandemic led to delayed presentations for patients with acute ischemic stroke. This study evaluates the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic on presentation, treatment, and outcomes of patients with emergent large-vessel occlusion using data from a large health system in the Bronx, New York. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study of 2 cohorts of consecutive patients with emergent large-vessel occlusion admitted to 3 Montefiore Health System hospitals in the Bronx from January 1 to February 17, 2020, (prepandemic) and March 1 to April 17, 2020 (pandemic). We abstracted data from the electronic health records on presenting biomarker profiles, admission and postprocedural NIHSS scores, time of symptom onset, time of hospital presentation, time of start of the thrombectomy procedure, time of revascularization, presenting ASPECTS, TICI recanalization score, mRS, functional outcomes, and mortality. RESULTS: Of 179 patients admitted with ischemic stroke during the study periods, 80 had emergent large-vessel occlusion, of whom 36 were in the pandemic group. Patients in the pandemic group were younger (66 versus 72 years, P < .061) and had lower ASPECTS (7 versus 9, P < .001) and took longer to arrive at the hospital (361 versus 152 minutes, P < .004) with no other major differences. There was a decreased rate of thrombolysis administration (22% versus 43%, P < .049) and a decreased number of patients treated with mechanical thrombectomy (33% versus 61%, P < .013). CONCLUSIONS: The pandemic led to delays in patients arriving at hospitals, leading to decreased patients eligible for treatment, while in-hospital evaluation and treatment times remain unchanged.

COVID-19-Associated Carotid Atherothrombosis and Stroke.

We present a radiology-pathology case series of 3 patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) with acute ischemic stroke due to fulminant carotid thrombosis overlying mild atherosclerotic plaque and propose a novel stroke mechanism: COVID-associated carotid atherothrombosis.