In-Hospital Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety are Strong Risk Factors for Post-Stroke Depression 90 Days After Ischemic Stroke.

Background and Purpose: Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) and depression are the major causes of disability and decreased quality of life worldwide. Psychiatric disorders are common after stroke, especially post-stroke depression (PSD), which affects one-third of survivors. Although frequent, little is known about the real complexity of the pathophysiology and the factors associated with PSD. Methods: This research aimed to provide data about risk factors and predictors of PSD 90 days after AIS. A cohort study was conducted in a tertiary stroke center located in southern Brazil. We interviewed 148 patients with AIS who were consecutively hospitalized between January 2020 and January 2021. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was applied during hospitalization and at follow-up 90 days after AIS. Furthermore, sociodemographic, clinical, and radiological variables were investigated. Predictive factors were assessed using univariate and multivariate linear regression. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the data was also evaluated. Results: The frequency of PSD 90 days after AIS was 33.9%. In-hospital symptoms of depression and anxiety each represented a 2-fold risk for PSD at follow-up. Furthermore, the HADS - anxiety score 90 days after AIS was strongly associated with the HADS - depression value 90 days after stroke (R: .71; B: .56; P < .01). Conclusions: The present study highlighted a noteworthy frequency of PSD 90 days after AIS. Psychiatric variables during hospitalization and in the follow-up appeared to be the leading associated factors with PSD. These data might support the determination of which patients require more psychiatric management.

Acute Hemorrhagic Leukoencephalopathy Triggered by COVID-19 Infection.

Background: This study represents an additional case of a rare entity and complication of COVID-19. Purpose: To further describe COVID's association with acute hemorrhagic leukoencephalopathy (AHL), a variant of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis. Besides, subsequent neuropsychological evaluation is described. Methods: The present case report describes clinical, laboratory, radiological, and electroencephalographic characteristics of AHL triggered by COVID-19, in addition to outcomes in the neuropsychological findings. Results: Radiologic findings of demyelinating lesions in supratentorial white matter permeated by multiple hemorrhagic foci supported the diagnostic of AHL, reinforced by clinical improvement after corticosteroid therapy. Conclusions: There are few similar cases previously reported, and this case highlights the early diagnosis and prompt treatment looking forward to better outcomes in AHL. Further studies are needed to elucidate the involved pathophysiological mechanisms.

Acute ischemic stroke and COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil: a comparative study of frequency and risk factors before and during SARS-CoV-2 era.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 pandemic directly impacted the request for hospital care and medical assistance for several diseases worldwide, as occurred with acute ischemic stroke. The present study sought to compare the incidence and severity of acute ischemic stroke (AIS), in addition to sociodemographic, clinical, and radiological characteristics of patients hospitalized in the prepandemic (2018-2019) and pandemic (2020-2021) eras. METHODS: An incidence case-control, observational, and analytical research was carried out in the Stroke Unit of Hospital Governador Celso Ramos, Florianopolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil, including 171 patients admitted with acute ischemic stroke from April 2018 to April 2019 (prepandemic era) and 148 patients between January 2020 and January 2021 (during pandemic). RESULTS: The mean incidence of AIS hospital admissions was significantly lower in the pandemic period (CI 95%, 0.2 to 5.6; p = 0.04), being lower in the lockdown periods and when the incidence of new COVID-19 cases increased. Besides, referring to AIS severity, the mean areas of AIS were larger during the pandemic period (p < 0.01), especially in August, September, December, and January (p < 0.05). Sociodemographic and clinical variables did not show any difference between the two periods of the study. CONCLUSIONS: Hospital admissions for AIS decreased in the COVID-19 pandemic, mostly during months of higher incidences of new COVID-19 cases. When the incidence of admissions diminished, an increase in the severity of AIS was observed, characterized by larger areas. These findings might contribute to other similar referral centers in managing public policies related to stroke.