TABLE 1.
The clinical characteristics of the of stroke patients with and without COVID infection treated with iv‐thrombolysis
| Variables | With COVID infection | Without COVID infection | p‐value |
|---|---|---|---|
| n(%) | 22(31) | 48(69) | ‐ |
| Age (mean; SD) (years) | 74.5(±7.9) | 72.9(±12.8) | .60 |
| Gender (male) n(%) | 15(65.5) | 21(42.0) | .10 |
| NIHSS on admission (median; range) [points] | 11(3–20) | 6.5(2–25) | <.01 |
| ‘Minor’ stroke symptoms (NIHSS 1–5 pts) n(%) | 2(9.1) | 18(37.5) | <.01 |
| Onset to treatment time (mean, SD) (min) | 177(±60) | 191(±51) | .34 |
| ‘Door to needle’ time (median, range) (min) | 52(15–123) | 61(10–170) | .12 |
| SBP on admission (median; range) (mmHg) | 148(100–230) | 151(112–250) | .22 |
| DBP on admission (median; range) (mmHg) | 84(70–120) | 81(52–130) | .65 |
| Heart rate on admission (median; range) (beats/min) | 85(68–134) | 80(55–120) | .41 |
| Saturation (median; range) (%) | 93(60–98) | 95(60–99) | .06 |
| Pneumonia n(%) | 11(47.8) | 6(12) | <.01 |
| Fever on admission n(%) | 2(22.2) | 4(14.5) | .45 |
| Hyperlipidemia n(%) | 9(40.9) | 25(52.8) | .38 |
| Antibiotic prior admission | 2(10.5) | 1(2.0) | .38 |
| Diabetes Mellitus n(%) | 8(33.3) | 8(16.0) | .10 |
| Current smoking n(%) | 2(10.5) | 5(10) | .70 |
| Arterial hypertension n(%) | 8(33.3) | 8(16) | .09 |
| BMI ≥26 kg/m2 | 12(54.6) | 18(37.5) | .18 |
| Previous myocardial infarction n(%) | 2(10.5) | 4(8.0) | .74 |
| Carotid stenosis >50% or occlusion n(%) | 3(13.6) | 10(20.83) | .46 |
| Atrial fibrillation n(%) | 5(20.8) | 7(14) | .46 |
| Statin therapy before stroke n(%) | 4(18.2) | 14(29.2) | .32 |
| Antiplatelet therapy before stroke n(%) | 5(26.3) | 17(34) | .53 |
| NOAC therapy before stroke n(%) | 0 | 1(2) | .61 |
| VKA therapy before stroke n(%) | 0 | 1(2) | .61 |
| Lacunar aetiology of stroke n(%) | 8(33.3) | 7(14) | .06 |
| Old ischaemic lesions in CT on admission n(%) | 7(36.8) | 21(42.9) | .65 |
| CRP (median; range) (µg/ml) | 25.9(0.39–234) | 2.83(0.32–9.32) | .07 |
| Fibrinogen (mean, SD) (mg/dl) | 390(±159) | 341(±188) | .60 |
| D‐dimers (median; range) (ng/ml) | 870(386–34300) | 570(250–2296) | .03 |
| eGFR (mean, SD) (ml/min/m2) | 72(±24) | 64(±19) | .19 |
| WBC (median; range) (103/µl) | 8.2(3.4–13.8) | 8.6(4.9–29.3) | .29 |
| PLT (median; range) (103/µl) | 214(127–408) | 231(108–565) | .48 |
| HGB (median; range) (g/dl) | 14.1(10.8–15.6) | 13.6(4.39–15.9) | .10 |
| Glucose (median; range) (mg%) | 118(77–359) | 127(83–349) | .60 |
| sICH | 1(4.55) | 0 | .68 |
| mRS 0–2 pts. at discharge n(%) | 8(33.3) | 27(56.2) | .06 |
| Length of stay in hospital (median; range) (days) | 17(1–39) | 9(1–16) | <.01 |
| Death within hospitalization n(%) | 5(20.8) | 6(12) | .33 |
Abbreviations: BMI, body mass index; CRP, C‐reactive protein; eGFR, estimated glomerular filtration rate; HGB, haemoglobin; mRS, modified Rankin Scale; NIHSS, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale; NOAC, novel oral anticoagulants; PLT, platelets; pts, points; SBP, systolic blood pressure: DBP, diastolic blood pressure; SD, standard deviation; sICH, symptomatic intracerebral haemorrhage; VKA, vitamin K antagonists; WBC, white blood cells.