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Stroke in critically ill patients with respiratory failure due to COVID-19: Disparities between low-middle and high-income countries. Heart Lung 2024;68:131-144

Date

07/06/2024

Pubmed ID

38968643

DOI

10.1016/j.hrtlng.2024.06.015

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-85197512084 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   2 Citations

Abstract

PURPOSE: We aimed to compare the incidence of stroke in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs) versus high-income countries (HICs) in critically ill patients with COVID-19 and its impact on in-hospital mortality.

METHODS: International observational study conducted in 43 countries. Stroke and mortality incidence rates and rate ratios (IRR) were calculated per admitted days using Poisson regression. Inverse probability weighting (IPW) was used to address the HICs vs. LMICs imbalance for confounders.

RESULTS: 23,738 patients [20,511(86.4 %) HICs vs. 3,227(13.6 %) LMICs] were included. The incidence stroke/1000 admitted-days was 35.7 (95 %CI = 28.4-44.9) LMICs and 17.6 (95 %CI = 15.8-19.7) HICs; ischemic 9.47 (95 %CI = 6.57-13.7) LMICs, 1.97 (95 %CI = 1.53, 2.55) HICs; hemorrhagic, 7.18 (95 %CI = 4.73-10.9) LMICs, and 2.52 (95 %CI = 2.00-3.16) HICs; unspecified stroke type 11.6 (95 %CI = 7.75-17.3) LMICs, 8.99 (95 %CI = 7.70-10.5) HICs. In regression with IPW, LMICs vs. HICs had IRR = 1.78 (95 %CI = 1.31-2.42, p < 0.001). Patients from LMICs were more likely to die than those from HICs [43.6% vs 29.2 %; Relative Risk (RR) = 2.59 (95 %CI = 2.29-2.93), p < 0.001)]. Patients with stroke were more likely to die than those without stroke [RR = 1.43 (95 %CI = 1.19-1.72), p < 0.001)].

CONCLUSIONS: Stroke incidence was low in HICs and LMICs although the stroke risk was higher in LMICs. Both LMIC status and stroke increased the risk of death. Improving early diagnosis of stroke and redistribution of healthcare resources should be a priority.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: ACTRN12620000421932 registered on 30/03/2020.

Author List

Battaglini D, Kelly TL, Griffee M, Fanning J, Premraj L, Whitman G, Porto DB, Arora R, Thomson D, Pelosi P, White NM, Bassi GL, Suen J, Fraser JF, Robba C, Cho SM, COVID-19 Critical Care Consortium Investigators

Author

Lucian A. Durham MD, PhD Associate Professor in the Surgery department at Medical College of Wisconsin




MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Aged
Critical Illness
Developed Countries
Developing Countries
Female
Hospital Mortality
Humans
Incidence
Male
Middle Aged
Respiratory Insufficiency
Stroke