The effects of infection on severe stroke patients in the neurological intensive care unit in China

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of infection on severe stroke patients in the neurological intensive care unit and to find the related risk factors for mortality of severe stroke patients. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study including 343 patients with ischaemic or haemorrhagic stroke and staying for more than 2 patient-days in the neurological intensive care unit at Beijing Chaoyang Hospital from January 2011 to December 2015 to analyse the infection features of patients with severe stroke in the neurological intensive care unit. All analyses were conducted using SPSS 18.0. RESULTS: The mortality rate, hospital staying time and hospital costs between infected and uninfected stroke patients were higher in the infected patients than in the uninfected patients, P < 0.05, and except for the hospital staying time, the mortality rate and hospital costs were both significantly higher in the infected patients. Respiratory tract infection was the most common infection type at all time periods, P < 0.05. However, urinary tract infection increased at 72 h after stroke compared with infection within 72 h after stroke. Blood sugar level, mean arterial pressure, scores of APACHE II, history of stroke, history of heart diseases, infections and respiratory tract infection were significantly different in dead patients compared with the alive patients, P < 0.05. CONCLUSION: Infection can significantly influence the mortality rate and hospital costs of stroke patients, and is an independent risk factor for mortality of stroke patients.