Background and purpose: Information on stroke survivors infected with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is limited. The aim of this study was to describe specific clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with COVID-19 with a history of stroke.
Methods: All the confirmed cases of COVID-19 at Tongji Hospital from January 27 to March 5, 2020, were included in our cohort study. Clinical data were analyzed and compared between patients with and without a history of stroke.
Results: Of the included 1875 patients with COVID-19, 50 patients had a history of stroke. The COVID-19 patients with medical history of stroke were older with more comorbidities, had higher neutrophil count, and lower lymphocyte and platelet counts than those without history of stroke. The levels of D-dimers, cardiac troponin I, NT pro-brain natriuretic peptide, and interleukin-6 were also markedly higher in patients with history of stroke. Stroke survivors who underwent COVID-19 developed more acute respiratory distress syndrome and received more noninvasive mechanical ventilation. Data from propensity-matched analysis indicated a higher proportion of patients with COVD-19 with a history of stroke were admitted to the intensive care unit requiring mechanical ventilation and were more likely to be held in the unit or die, compared with non-stroke history COVID-19 patients.
Conclusions: Patients with COVID-19 with a history of stroke had more severe clinical symptoms and poorer outcomes compared with those without a history of stroke.
Keywords: COVID-19; cardiovascular disease; comorbidity; platelet count; troponin I.