ABSTRACT
Background and aims: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been associated with stroke. Our proposal was to estimate the functional outcome (FO) of stroke associated with acute SARS-CoV2 infection in Mexico. Methods: We performed an observational, retrospective, multicenter study that included patients with stroke from May 2020 to November 2021. The population was divided in patients with COVID-19 (defined by positive PCR or thórax tomography with CO-RADS 4-5) and without COVID-19. FO was assessed with the modified Rankin scale (mRs) at discharge as good (0-2) or poor (3-6). Results: 998 patients with stroke were included, 87(8.7%) had COVID- 19 diagnosis, 534(53.5%) were men, the mean age was lower in COVID- 19 patients [59±15 versus 65±15 years old (range 16-99);p=0.002]. There were 762(76.4%) patients with ischemic stroke (IS), 164(16.4%) spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (SIH), 50(5%) transient ischemic attack (TIA) and 22(2.2%) cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT). TIA was more frequent in non COVID-19 patients [48(5.2%) versus 2(2.2%)] while CVT was more frecuent in COVID-19 patients [8(9.1%) versus 14(1.5%)]. There was no significant difference between the frequencies of IS and SIH between groups. COVID-19 patients had poorer FO than non COVID-19 patients [66(75.8%) versus 580(63.6%);p=0.023]. Mortality was also higher in patients with COVID-19 [14(16 %) versus 54(5.9%);p=0.002]. Conclusions: In our study, functional outcome of stroke in patients with acute SARS-CoV2 infection was worst than in patients without it. Also mortality was higher in these patients. Prompt diagnosis and high-quality acute stroke treatment should be emphasized in patients with SARSCoV2 infection.