COVID-19 and Ischemic Stroke (preprint)

ABSTRACT

Background: SARS-CoV-2 causes COVID-19 disease. It was identified in December 2019 and rapidly evolved into a pandemic. During the outbreak of COVID-19, researches demonstrated its effect on many systems, including the nervous system. In our clinic, we have reported an impact of SARS-CoV-2, causing the ischaemic stroke.Case Report A 62-year-old Sudanese male with some comorbidities brought to the A&E with fever, chest symptoms, and acute evolving left-sided hemiplegia power grade 0/5 MRCS with left upper motor neuron facial palsy. Investigations CT brain right middle cerebral artery MCA infarction. CT- chest bilateral ground-glass appearance. COVID-19 Test was positive. elevated D-dimer and C-reactive protein.Discussion: A retrospective study of data from the COVID-19 outbreak in China showed that the incidence of stroke among hospitalized patients was approximately 5%. The fact that COVID-19 is an acute inflammatory condition associated with an increased incidence of fatty plaques formation, injury of the vascular wall, and hypercoagulability, causing brain infarct can be a reasonable hypothesis.ConclusionPatients with COVID-19 are at increased risk of thrombo-embolization, leading to arterial and venous cerebrovascular accident. This case report enhances the importance of further studies to clarify the relationship between stroke and COVID-19.