Study Finds COVID-19 Increases Stroke Risk in Younger Patients, Results in Poorer Outcomes

August 10, 2022—The Society of NeuroInterventional Surgery (SNIS) recently announced results from an investigation showing that stroke patients with COVID-19 are facing worse outcomes and are often younger and healthier. These patients are more than 2.5 times more likely to have an unfavorable outcome and face a difficult recovery after stroke.

“Characteristics of a COVID-19 Cohort with Large Vessel Occlusion: A Multicenter International Study” was presented at the SNIS 19th annual meeting held July 25-29 in Toronto, Canada. The lead author of the study is Pascal Jabbour, MD, who is a Professor of Neurological Surgery and Chief of the Division of Neurovascular and Endovascular Neurosurgery at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Dr. Jabbour et al published the findings in Neurosurgery (2022;90:725-733).

“There is still so much we need to learn about COVID-19, especially its impact on younger patients,” commented Dr. Jabbour in the SNIS press release. “Stroke’s impact on individuals with COVID-19 is alarming and one we must continue to research and remedy.”

According to SNIS, the study investigators reviewed data for 575 patients with acute large vessel occlusion (LVO). Of these patients, 194 had COVID-19 and 381 did not. The patients were from approximately 50 thrombectomy comprehensive stroke centers across Europe and North America. The control group was composed of patients who presented with LVO and received a mechanical thrombectomy between January 2018 and December 2020.

In the study, the investigators compared which patients had successful revascularizations and left the hospital with little-to-no disabilities. Of the patients with COVID-19, the severity of the virus on stroke onset was moderate in 75.5% of the cases, severe in 15.8% of cases, and critical in 8.7%. The mean duration between symptoms and stroke onset was approximately 9 days, and 34% of the COVID-19 group had a stroke as their first symptom of the disease.

The investigators found that the patients with COVID-19 (who were younger and had less risk factors) were less likely to achieve successful revascularization. In addition, the thrombectomy was prolonged in the COVID-19 group, as was the length of hospital stay. Most alarming, noted SNIS, mortality rates were higher by more than twofold in the COVID-19 group compared to the control.

Overall, the study demonstrated that COVID-19 was a predictor of poorer outcomes, even though many of the patients were younger, healthier, and even had mild symptoms of the virus before the onset of stroke, reported SNIS.