The relationship between COVID-19 infection and intracranial hemorrhage: A systematic review

Outcomes of cerebral venous thrombosis with and without COVID-19 infection

BACKGROUND

We aimed to compare outcomes of cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) within 2 weeks of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) infection compared to those without COVID-19.

METHODS

The study included adult patients diagnosed with CVT between 2020 and 2022 in TriNetX COVID research network. They were categorized into two groups namely, CVT with COVID and CVT without COVID, based on diagnosis of COVID-19 infection within 2 weeks of CVT diagnosis. All-cause mortality, cerebrovascular and thromboembolic outcomes were assessed at one and three months. Propensity score matching was performed to control for covariates. The two groups were compared with cox proportional hazard analysis and reported as hazard ratio (HR) and 95 % confidence interval (CI).

RESULTS

547 patients with CVT and COVID and 10,450 patients with CVT without COVID met the study criteria. After matching, 544 patients were in each group. Patients with COVID-19 infection within 2 weeks prior to CVT diagnosis had twice higher risk of all-cause mortality [1 month: 35 (6.4 %) vs 15 (2.8 %); HR = 2.37; 95 % CI = 1.30-4.35 and at three months: 51 (9.4 %) vs 21 (3.9 %); HR = 2.49; 95 % CI = 1.50-4.14] and higher risk of complications of intracerebral hemorrhage [1 month: 12.3 % vs 8.3 %; HR = 1.50; 95 % CI = 1.01-2.24) and three months: 12.8 % vs 8.7 %; HR = 1.49; 95 % CI = 1.01-2.19)] and pulmonary embolism [1 month: 5.6 % vs 2.2 %; HR = 2.63; 95 % CI = 1.31-5.27 and 3 months: 6.0 % vs 2.5 %; HR = 2.39; 95 % CI = 1.25-4.59] compared to CVT without COVID.

CONCLUSION

COVID-19 infection increases risk of mortality, intracerebral hemorrhage and pulmonary embolism in patients with CVT.

Stroke and COVID-19: An Umbrella Review

Introduction

Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) and intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) are among the acute cerebrovascular diseases (CVDs) that have been reported as a result of COVID-19. It will be a significant step forward if our research helps improve the compilation and analysis of existing data from other studies.

Methods

The study is registered on PROSPERO with an ID of CRD42023464058. It encompasses articles published until December 2023 and involves searching databases such as PubMed, Scopus, Web of Knowledge, Embase, and Cochrane. Additionally, we conducted manual searches in respected publications within this discipline, utilized the Google Scholar search engine, and conducted reference checks, citation checks, and study of gray literature. The publications' reporting quality was assessed using the "Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews" (AMSTAR) checklist. The meta-analysis was conducted using Stata software (StataCorp, version 16).

Results

We analyzed the findings of 23 meta-analyses, which included 795 articles and encompassed 5,937 patients who had previously experienced a stroke. The average age of these patients was 62.3 years, and 68.3% were male. The findings indicated that the collective incidence of stroke among individuals with COVID-19 is roughly 1.75% [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.4%-3.03], with 1.59% for ischemic strokes and 0.3% for hemorrhagic strokes. 32.3% (95% CI: 27.8%-36.9%) of COVID-19 patients with stroke passed away, approximately 27% were discharged from the hospital with very mild or no complications, and around 28.1% (95% CI: 14.1%-42.1%) were referred for rehabilitation.

Conclusions

The overall rate of stroke in COVID-19 patients was approximately 1.75%, with a higher incidence in males and those with an average age of 62.3 years. Almost 80% of the strokes were ischemic, and the mortality rate was approximately 32%. Finally, 27% of the patients were discharged without complications, and 28% required rehabilitation.

SARS-CoV-2 induces blood-brain barrier and choroid plexus barrier impairments and vascular inflammation in mice

The coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to more than 700 million confirmed cases and nearly 7 million deaths. Although severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus mainly infects the respiratory system, neurological complications are widely reported in both acute infection and long-COVID cases. Despite the success of vaccines and antiviral treatments, neuroinvasiveness of SARS-CoV-2 remains an important question, which is also centered on the mystery of whether the virus is capable of breaching the barriers into the central nervous system. By studying the K18-hACE2 infection model, we observed clear evidence of microvascular damage and breakdown of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Mechanistically, SARS-CoV-2 infection caused pericyte damage, tight junction loss, endothelial activation and vascular inflammation, which together drive microvascular injury and BBB impairment. In addition, the blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier at the choroid plexus was also impaired after infection. Therefore, cerebrovascular and choroid plexus dysfunctions are important aspects of COVID-19 and may contribute to neurological complications both acutely and in long COVID.

Impact of the pandemic and concomitant COVID-19 on the management and outcomes of middle cerebral artery strokes: a nationwide registry-based study

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as concomitant COVID-19 itself on stroke care, focusing on middle cerebral artery (MCA) territory infarctions.

DESIGN

Registry-based study.

SETTING

We used the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database, which covers a wide range of hospitals within the USA.

PARTICIPANTS

The NIS was queried for patients with MCA strokes between 2016 and 2020. In total, 35 231 patients were included.

OUTCOME MEASURES

Outcome measures were postprocedural complications, length of stays (LOSs), in-hospital mortality and non-routine discharge. Propensity score matching using all available baseline variables was performed to reduce confounders when comparing patients with and without concomitant COVID-19.

RESULTS

Mechanical thrombectomy (MT) was performed in 48.4%, intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) in 38.2%, and both MT and IVT (MT+IVT) in 13.4% of patients. A gradual increase in the use of MT and an opposite decrease in the use of IVT (p<0.001) was detected during the study period. Overall, 25.0% of all patients were admitted for MCA strokes during the pandemic period (2020), of these 209 (2.4%) were concomitantly diagnosed with COVID-19. Patients with MCA strokes and concomitant COVID-19 were significantly younger (64.9 vs 70.0; p<0.001), had significantly worse NIH Stroke Severity scores, and worse outcomes in terms of LOS (12.3 vs 8.2; p<0.001), in-hospital mortality (26.3% vs 9.8%; p<0.001) and non-routine discharge (84.2% vs 76.9%; p=0.013), as compared with those without COVID-19. After matching, only in-hospital mortality rates remained significantly higher in patients with COVID-19 (26.7% vs 8.5%; p<0.001). Additionally, patients with COVID-19 had higher rates of thromboembolic (12.3% vs 7.6%; p=0.035) and respiratory (11.3% vs 6.6%; p=0.029) complications.

CONCLUSIONS

Among patients with MCA stroke, those with concomitant COVID-19 were significantly younger and had higher stroke severity scores. They were more likely to experience thromboembolic and respiratory complications and in-hospital mortality compared with matched controls.

COVID-19 Infection Is Associated With Poor Outcomes in Patients With Intracerebral Hemorrhage

BACKGROUND

Patients with ischemic stroke and concomitant COVID-19 infection have worse outcomes than those without this infection, but the impact of COVID-19 on hemorrhagic stroke remains unclear. We aimed to assess if COVID-19 worsens outcomes in intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH).

METHODS AND RESULTS

We conducted an observational study of ICH outcomes using Get With The Guidelines Stroke data. We compared patients with ICH who were COVID-19 positive and negative during the pandemic (March 2020-February 2021) and prepandemic (March 2019-February 2020). Main outcomes were poor functional outcome (defined as a modified Rankin scale score of 4 to 6 at discharge), mortality, and discharge to a skilled nursing facility or hospice. The first stage included 60 091 patients with ICH who were COVID-19 negative and 1326 COVID-19 positive. In multivariable analyses, patients with ICH with versus without COVID-19 infection had 68% higher odds of poor outcome (odds ratio [OR], 1.68 [95% CI, 1.41-2.01]), 51% higher odds of mortality (OR, 1.51 [95% CI, 1.33-1.71]), and 66% higher odds of being discharged to a skilled nursing facility/hospice (OR, 1.66 [95% CI, 1.43-1.93]). The second stage included 62 743 prepandemic and 64 681 intrapandemic cases with ICH. In multivariable analyses, patients with ICH admitted during versus before the COVID-19 pandemic had 10% higher odds of poor outcomes (OR, 1.10 [95% CI, 1.07-1.14]), 5% higher mortality (OR, 1.05 [95% CI, 1.02-1.08]), and no significant difference in the risk of being discharged to a skilled nursing facility/hospice (OR, 0.93 [95% CI, 0.90-0.95]).

CONCLUSIONS

The pathophysiology of the COVID-19 infection and changes in health care delivery during the pandemic played a role in worsening outcomes in the patient population with ICH.

Subacute hemorrhagic pericardial tamponade after COVID-19 infection mimicking carcinomatous pericarditis: a case report

Background

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19)-associated acute pericarditis has recently received much attention owing to its high frequency associated with pericardial tamponade (PT), showing unfavorable prognosis. However, early diagnosis and treatment remain challenging in cases of non-specific signs and symptoms.

Case presentation

A 64-year-old man was admitted to our hospital for acute osteomyelitis of the toes and was properly treated with antimicrobial agents. Three days after admission, the patient developed mild COVID-19 without pneumonia, for which early anti-COVID-19 agents were initiated. Nevertheless, the patient developed hemorrhagic PT due to acute pericarditis 2 weeks later, which was confirmed by cardiac magnetic resonance, requiring an urgent pericardiocentesis. Although cytological analysis of the hemorrhagic pericardial fluid strongly suggested adenocarcinoma, the atypical cells were eventually proven to be mesothelial cells with reactive atypia. Furthermore, lymph nodes swelling with abnormal 2-[18F]-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose accumulation on imaging were suggestive of malignancy. However, biopsy examination revealed multiple non-caseating granulomas in the lymph node, unlikely due to malignancy. Eventually, the temporal association of the preceding COVID-19 with the occurrence of subacute PT without other identifiable cause led to a final diagnosis of COVID-19-associated acute pericarditis. With anti-inflammatory and corticosteroids treatment, the patient's symptoms involving the pericardial structure and function were completely resolved along with improvements in size of the affected lymphadenopathies.

Conclusions

We encountered a unique case of COVID-19-associated acute pericarditis exhibiting hemorrhagic PT. This case underscores the residual risk of delayed pericardial involvement even in patients with mild COVID-19 who receive early treatment, and the recognition that COVID-19 may cause various cytomorphological and histological features. Additionally, the importance of considering this rare entity as a cause of hemorrhagic pericardial effusions should be highlighted.

Infection with COVID-19 is a risk factor for poor prognosis in patients with intracranial hemorrhage: A prospective observational cohort study

This research aimed to explore the COVID-19 infection in the prognosis of patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), as well as analyzed the risk factors of the poor prognosis. This present prospective observational cohort study enrolled 136 patients with ICH who were admitted in our hospital during May 2020 to July 2022. The diagnosis of COVID-19 was confirmed by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. All patients were collected demographic and clinical data and were followed up for 3 months, and we used the modified Rankin scale (mRS) to assess the prognosis of ICH patients, mRS score ≥ 3 indicated a bad prognosis and mRS score ≤ 2 indicated a good prognosis. All data used SPSS 18.0 for statistical analyses. The mRS score after 3 months of patients in COVID-19 group were also remarkably elevated than that in the patients in control group (P < .05). The levels of fasting plasma glucose (FPG), D-dimer (D-D) were remarkably enhanced in the ICH patients in COVID-19 group compared to the control group (P < .05). The national institutes of health stroke scale scores, hematoma volume, the serum levels of white blood cell, FPG, D-D and the proportion of patients with diabetes were significantly higher while the Glasgow coma scale scores were significantly lower in bad prognosis group (P < .05). In addition, we found a significantly higher rate of COVID-19 infections in ICH patients with poor prognosis (P < .05). Infection of COVID-19, FPG, white blood cell, national institutes of health stroke scale, Glasgow coma scale and hematoma volume were the risk factors for poor prognosis in patients with ICH. This study showed that the proportion of patients with diabetes, the mRS score after 3 months and the levels of FPG, D-D were remarkably elevated in the ICH patients in COVID-19 group compared to the control group. This study may provide the effective preventive and treatment measures for the burden of ICH on families and society.

Neurological complications and effects of COVID-19: Symptoms and conceivable mechanisms

A novel coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was first identified in December 2019 in Wuhan, China. The new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) in March 2020. SARS-CoV-2 can invade the nervous system aside from infecting the respiratory system as its primary target. The most common nervous system symptoms of COVID-19 are stated as headache, myalgia, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, sudden and unexplained anosmia, and ageusia. More severe conditions such as encephalomyelitis, acute myelitis, thromboembolic events, ischemic stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage, Guillain-Barré-syndrome, Bell's palsy, rhabdomyolysis, and even coma have also been reported. Cohort studies revealed that neurological findings are associated with higher morbidity and mortality. The neurological symptoms and manifestations caused by SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 are examined and summarized in this article.

The impact of COVID-19 on clinical outcomes in people undergoing neurosurgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has created a global crisis unique to the healthcare system around the world. It also had a profound impact on the management of neurosurgical patients. In our research, we investigated the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on clinical outcomes in people undergoing neurosurgery, particularly vascular and oncological neurosurgery.

METHOD

Two investigators independently and systematically searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), ClinicalTrail.Gov, and Web of Science to identify relevant studies respecting the criteria for inclusion and exclusion published up to June 30, 2022. The outcomes of our research included mortality rate, length of stay, modified Rankin Score, delay in care, Glasgow outcome scale, and major complications. The risk of bias was assessed using the Methodological Index for Non-randomized Studies (MINORS) checklist.

RESULTS

Two investigators independently and systematically searched 1378 results from MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane database, ClinicalTrail.Gov, and Web of Science and extracted the detailed data from 13 studies that met the review's eligibility criteria. Two articles reported on patients with intracerebral hemorrhages, five on patients with subarachnoid hemorrhages, four on patients undergoing surgery for neuro-oncology, and in two studies the patients' conditions were unspecified. A total of 26,831 patients were included in our research. The number who died was significantly increased in the COVID-19 pandemic group (OR 1.52, 95% CI 1.36-1.69, P < 0.001). No significant difference was found between the two groups in terms of length of stay (SMD - 0.88, 95% CI - 0.18-0.02, P = 0.111), but it differed between regions, according to our subgroup analysis.

CONCLUSION

Compared to the pre-pandemic group, the number who died was significantly increased in the COVID-19 pandemic group. Meanwhile, the effect of the pandemic on clinical outcomes in people undergoing neurosurgery might differ in different regions, according to our subgroup analysis.

Intracranial hemorrhage and Covid-19: A retrospective analysis of 1675 hospitalized Covid-19 Brazilian patients

Background

The present study seeks to overcome the lack of data on Covid-19 associated intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) in Brazil.

Methods

This is a retrospective, single-center case series of consecutive patients. It is a subanalysis of a larger study still in progress, which covers all neurological manifestations that occurred in patients admitted between March 1st, 2020 and June 1st, 2022, with active SARS-CoV-2 infection confirmed by polymerase chain reaction test. All patients with non-traumatic ICH were included.

Results

A total of 1675 patients were evaluated: 917 (54.75 %) had one or more neurological symptoms and 19 had non-traumatic ICH, comprising an incidence of 1.13 %. All patients had one or more risk factors for ICH. The presence of neurological manifestations before the ICH and ICU admission showed a statistically significant relationship with the occurrence of ICH (X² = 6.734, p = 0.0095; OR = 4.47; CI = 1.3-15.4; and FET = 9.13; p = <0.001; OR = 9.15; CI = 3.27-25.5 respectively).

Discussion and conclusion

Our findings were largely congruent with the world literature. We believe that the assessment of risk factors can accurately predict the subgroup of patients at increased risk of ICH, but further studies are needed to confirm these hypotheses.

Spontaneous Cervical Epidural Hematoma Following COVID-19 Illness Presenting to a Chiropractor: A Case Report

Cervical epidural hematoma (CEH) is a rare and potentially fatal condition in which blood accumulates in the epidural space of the cervical spine. A 64-year-old man presented to a chiropractor with a two-week history of sudden-onset neck pain, shoulder pain, occipital headache, and numbness in the shoulders and upper extremities. He had recovered from a mild course of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) illness one month prior. The patient's primary care provider had previously prescribed a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug for his neck pain. However, his symptoms worsened, and he visited the emergency department where he had unremarkable cervical spine radiographs and was discharged with a diagnosis of neck strain. The chiropractor ordered cervical spine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), revealing a ventral CEH extending from C2 to C5. The chiropractor referred the patient to a nearby hospital for urgent management. The patient was admitted and observed, progressively improved, and did not require surgery. After 10 weeks in the hospital the patient was asymptomatic, a follow-up MRI revealed resolution of the CEH, and the patient was discharged. While the current case highlights a temporal relationship between COVID-19 and CEH, further research is needed to determine if COVID-19 is a risk factor for this condition. Clinicians who encounter patients with spinal disorders must be able to recognize the clinical features of CEH and refer these patients for emergency care and/or neurosurgical evaluation.

Vertebral artery dissecting aneurysm rupture under severe COVID-19

Objective

We report a rare case of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) caused by a ruptured vertebral artery (VA) dissecting aneurysm (DA) under severe COVID-19 treatment, and discuss the potential relationships.

Case presentation

A 58-year-old woman with COVID-19 fell into severe pneumonia needing mechanical ventilation at 10 days post-onset (day 10). The patient had no risk factors for DA or stroke other than COVID-19 infection. At day 17 when weaning ventilatory management, her systolic blood pressure was transiently elevated, and her consciousness did not recover thereafter. Computed tomography (CT) at day 21 revealed SAH with modified Fisher grade 4, and CT angiography revealed a DA in the right VA just distal to the right posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA). The DA was treated emergently with internal trapping by endovascular coiling, while the right PICA was preserved. Postoperative course was uneventful, and 2-time negative SARS-CoV-2 PCR results were obtained at day 45. The patient recovered to 4-month modified Rankin Scale 2.

Conclusions

Although it is not clear from the present case alone whether SARS-CoV-2 infection causes SAH by a ruptured VA DA, the accumulation of more cases and further studies are warranted to clarify the relationships between SARS-CoV-2 infection and ruptured intracranial DAs.

Establishing causality between SARS-CoV-2 and stroke/bleeding requires a temporal relationship and plausible pathophysiology

Cerebrovascular events are increasingly recognised as a complication of SARS-CoV-2 infections. They can be due to hypercoagulability, vasculopathy, cardiac involvement in the infection, or autonomic dysfunction. However, establishing a causal relationship between cerebrovascular events and viral infection is not always easy and requires thorough investigation and documentation of a close temporal relationship between SARS-CoV-2 infection and the onset of cerebral impairment. Establishing a causal relationship between SARS-CoV-2 infection and cerebrovascular events is desirable as it can guide the therapeutic management and determine the outcome.

Ad26.COV2.S Vaccine-Induced Thrombocytopenia Leading to Dural Sinus Thrombosis and Intracranial Hemorrhage Requiring Hemicraniectomy: A Case Report and Systematic Review

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has claimed nearly 5.5 million lives worldwide. Adenovirus-based vaccines are safe and effective, but they are rarely associated with vaccine-induced thrombosis and thrombocytopenia (VITT) as well as cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST). We conducted a systematic literature search of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) secondary to CVST associated with VITT from the Ad26.COV2.S vaccine, and we present the first case of this pathology in the reviewed literature of a patient who required neurosurgical decompression. The systematic literature review was completed on December 19, 2021, by searching PubMed and Ovid for articles with primary data on CVST associated with VITT following the Ad26.COV2.S vaccine. We also specifically searched for cases that required neurosurgical intervention. Articles were independently screened by two authors, and both secondary and tertiary searches were done as well. Descriptive statistics were collected and presented in table form. Nine studies were identified that met inclusion criteria. There were no cases identified of patients who underwent neurosurgical decompression after developing this pathology. We thus present the first case in the reviewed literature of a patient who developed ICH after receiving the Ad26.COV2.S vaccine and underwent decompressive hemicraniectomy. Despite severe thrombocytopenia and prolonged intensive care, the patient was discharged to neurorehabilitation. There is a much greater risk of CVST and ICH during COVID-19 infections than from the vaccines. However, as booster vaccines are approved and widely distributed, it is critical to make prompt, accurate diagnoses of this vaccine-related complication and consider neurosurgical decompression.

Acute Neurologic Complications of COVID-19 and Postacute Sequelae of COVID-19

Neurologic complications can be seen in mild to severe COVID-19 with a higher risk in patients with severe COVID-19. These can occur as a direct consequence of viral infection or consequences of treatments. The spectrum ranges from non-life-threatening, like headache, fatigue, malaise, anosmia, dysgeusia, to life-threatening complications, like stroke, encephalitis, coma, Guillain-Barre syndrome. A high index of suspicion can aid in early recognition and treatment. Outcomes depend on severity of underlying COVID-19, patient age, comorbidities, and severity of the complication. Postacute sequelae of COVID-19 range from fatigue, headache, dysosmia, brain fog, anxiety, depression to an overlap with postintensive care syndrome.

Frequency of Neurological Diseases After COVID-19, Influenza A/B and Bacterial Pneumonia

Introduction

COVID-19 might affect the incidence of specific neurological diseases, but it is unknown if this differs from the risk following other infections. Here, we characterized the frequency of neurodegenerative, cerebrovascular, and immune-mediated neurological diseases after COVID-19 compared to individuals without COVID-19 and those with other respiratory tract infections.

Methods

This population-based cohort study utilized electronic health records covering ~50% of Denmark's population (n = 2,972,192). Between 02/2020 and 11/2021, we included individuals tested for COVID-19 or diagnosed with community-acquired bacterial pneumonia in hospital-based facilities. Additionally, we included individuals tested for influenza in the corresponding pre-pandemic period between 02/ 2018 and 11/2019. We stratified cohorts for in- and outpatient status, age, sex, and comorbidities.

Results

In total, 919,731 individuals were tested for COVID-19, of whom 43,375 tested positive (35,362 outpatients, 8,013 inpatients). Compared to COVID-negative outpatients, COVID-19 positive outpatients had an increased RR of Alzheimer's disease (RR = 3.5; 95%CI: 2.2–5.5) and Parkinson's disease (RR = 2.6; 95%CI: 1.7–4.0), ischemic stroke (RR = 2.7; 95%CI: 2.3–3.2) and intracerebral hemorrhage (RR = 4.8; 95%CI: 1.8–12.9). However, when comparing to other respiratory tract infections, only the RR for ischemic stroke was increased among inpatients with COVID-19 when comparing to inpatients with influenza (RR = 1.7; 95%CI: 1.2–2.4) and only for those &gt;80 years of age when comparing to inpatients with bacterial pneumonia (RR = 2.7; 95%CI: 1.2–6.2). Frequencies of multiple sclerosis, myasthenia gravis, Guillain-Barré syndrome and narcolepsy did not differ after COVID-19, influenza and bacterial pneumonia.

Conclusion

The risk of neurodegenerative and cerebrovascular, but not neuroimmune, disorders was increased among COVID-19 positive outpatients compared to COVID-negative outpatients. However, except for ischemic stroke, most neurological disorders were not more frequent after COVID-19 than after other respiratory infections.

Stringent public health measures during COVID-19 across ischemic stroke care systems: the potential impact of patient perceptions on health care-seeking behaviors

Decreases in acute stroke presentations have been reported during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic surges. A recent study by Bojti et al. (GeroScience. 2021;43:2231–2248) sought to understand the relationship of public health mandates in Hungary as they were implemented with acute ischemic stroke admissions and interventions during two separate COVID-19 waves. We sought to perform a similar analysis of changes in ischemic stroke care at two distinct medical institutions in the USA. Two separate institutions and systems of ischemic stroke care were evaluated through a regional comprehensive stroke center telestroke service and a Veterans Affairs (VA) inpatient stroke and neurorehabilitation service. Telestroke consultations in a single system in Chicago, IL, were significantly decreased during the first COVID-19 wave during severely restricted public health mandates (z-score <  − 2), and were less depressed during a subsequent wave with less severe restrictions (z-score approaching − 1), which resembles findings in Hungary as reported by Bojti et al. In contrast, inpatient admissions during the first and second COVID-19 waves to a VA stroke and neurorehabilitation service in Oklahoma City remained unchanged. The Chicago and Hungary patterns of stroke presentations suggest that public perceptions, as informed by regional health mandates, might influence healthcare-seeking behavior. However, the VA experience suggests that specific patient populations may react differently to given public health mandates. These observations highlight that changes in stroke presentation during the COVID-19 pandemic may vary regionally and by patient population as well as by the severity of public health mandates implemented. Further study of COVID-19-related public health policies on acute stroke populations is needed to capture the long-term impact of such policies. Learning from the real-time impact of pandemic surges and public health policy on presentation of acute medical conditions, such as ischemic stroke, may prove valuable for designing effective policies in the future.

Pathomechanisms and Treatment Implications for Stroke in COVID-19: A Review of the Literature

Stroke in patients with COVID-19 has received increasing attention throughout the global COVID-19 pandemic, perhaps due to the substantial disability and mortality that can result when the two conditions co-occur. We reviewed the existing literature and found that the proposed pathomechanism underlying COVID-19-associated ischemic stroke is broadly divided into the following three categories: vasculitis, endothelialitis, and endothelial dysfunction; hypercoagulable state; and cardioembolism secondary to cardiac dysfunction. There has been substantial debate as to whether there is a causal link between stroke and COVID-19. However, the distinct phenotype of COVID-19-associated strokes, with multivessel territory infarcts, higher proportion of large vessel occlusions, and cryptogenic stroke mechanism, that emerged in pooled analytic comparisons with non-COVID-19 strokes is compelling. Further, in this article, we review the various treatment approaches that have emerged as they relate to the proposed pathomechanisms. Finally, we briefly cover the logistical challenges, such as delays in treatment, faced by providers and health systems; the innovative approaches utilized, including the role of tele-stroke; and the future directions in COVID-19-associated stroke research and healthcare delivery.