COVID-19 Decreases Quality of Stroke Care, Disproportionately Affecting Asian, Black, and Hispanic People 

In a study published in Stroke, data show individuals who had COVID-19 and also had acute ischemic stroke (AIS) had longer arrival-to-imaging and longer arrival-to-treatment times than people with stroke alone. Those with COVID-19 who experienced AIS were of lower age and more likely to be Black, Hispanic, or Asian. People with COVID-19 and AIS also had more severe strokes as measured with the NIH Stroke Scale/Score (NIHSS) and higher rates of large vessel occlusion (LVO).

Despite the increased severity of AIS in individuals with COVID-19 and stroke, there were delays in each stage of care compared with case-match controls who had only AIS (Table). Both groups were equally likely to receive thrombolysis and thrombectomy. The presence of COVID-19 in people with AIS resulted in worse outcomes as well. People with COVID-19 who had an AIS were more than 4 times more likely to die in the hospital than those with stroke alone. For those who were discharged, likelihood of full recovery was reduced by 35% in those who had COVID-19.