Pathophysiology of Cardiac Injury in COVID-19 Patients with Acute Ischaemic Stroke: What Do We Know So Far?—A Review of the Current Literature

With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, it became apparent that, in addition to pulmonary infection, extrapulmonary manifestations such as cardiac injury and acute cerebrovascular events are frequent in patients infected with SARS-CoV-2, worsening clinical outcome. We reviewed the current literature on the pathophysiology of cardiac injury and its association with acute ischaemic stroke. Several hypotheses on heart and brain axis pathology in the context of stroke related to COVID-19 were identified. Taken together, a combination of disease-related coagulopathy and systemic inflammation might cause endothelial damage and microvascular thrombosis, which in turn leads to structural myocardial damage. Cardiac complications of this damage such as tachyarrhythmia, myocardial infarction or cardiomyopathy, together with changes in hemodynamics and the coagulation system, may play a causal role in the increased stroke risk observed in COVID-19 patients. These hypotheses are supported by a growing body of evidence, but further research is necessary to fully understand the underlying pathophysiology and allow for the design of cardioprotective and neuroprotective strategies in this at risk population.

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Carotid endarterectomy following thrombolysis for acute ischaemic stroke

VASA ◽

10.1024/0301-1526/a000601 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 46 (2) ◽

pp. 116-120 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Naz Ahmed ◽

Damian Kelleher ◽

Manmohan Madan ◽

Sarita Sochart ◽

George A. Antoniou

Keyword(s):

Ischaemic Stroke ◽

Carotid Endarterectomy ◽

Acute Ischaemic Stroke ◽

Intravenous Thrombolysis ◽

Hospital Length ◽

Hospital Length Of Stay ◽

Wound Complications ◽

Cardiac Complications ◽

High Dependency ◽

Low Incidence

Abstract. Background: Insufficient evidence exists to support the safety of carotid endarterectomy (CEA) following intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) for acute ischaemic stroke. Our study aimed to report a single-centre experience of patients treated over a five-year period. Patients and methods: Departmental computerised databases were interrogated to identify patients who suffered an ischaemic stroke and subsequently underwent thrombolysis followed by CEA. Mortality and stroke within 30 days of surgery were defined as the primary outcome end points. Results: Over a five-year period, 177 out of a total of 679 carotid endarterectomies (26 %) were performed in patients presenting with acute ischaemic stroke. Twenty-five patients (14 %) received IVT prior to CEA in the form of alteplase. Sixty percent of patients were male with a mean age of 68 years. Sixteen patients (64 %) underwent CEA within 14 days of IVT and the median interval between thrombolysis and CEA was 7.5 days (range, 3–50 days). One female patient died of a further intraoperative stroke within 30 days of surgery, yielding a mortality rate of 4 %. Two patients (8 %) suffered from cardiac complications postoperatively resulting in a short high dependency unit stay. Another two patients (8 %) developed local wound complications, which were managed conservatively without the need for re-operation. The median hospital length of stay was 4.5 days (range, 1–33 days). Conclusions: Our experience indicates that CEA post-thrombolysis has a low incidence of mortality. Further high quality evidence is required before CEA can be routinely recommended following IVT for acute ischaemic stroke.

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