Factors associated with the development of stroke-associated pneumonia in Bishkek: An observational study

Objective: We aimed to verify the predictors of stroke- associated pneumonia (SAP) among hospitalized stroke patients in the conditions of the stroke department of an urban multidisciplinary hospital Methods: The study design is a single–center, prospective, observational, cohort study on predictors of SAP in stroke patients and their diagnostic value. The study included 108 patients with stroke who received in-patient treatment from the Stroke Department in Bishkek City Clinical Multiprofile Hospital No. 2 and were divided into 2 groups: the main group consisted of 51 patients with SAP and the control group consisted of 57 patients without SAP. Demographic, clinical, neurological status, laboratory tests and neuroimaging parameters were analyzed to compose a predictive model with the determination of independent factors of SAP development. Results: According to the results of multiple logistic regression analysis, it was revealed that the levels of systolic blood pressure, the presence of dysphagia, low Glasgow scale scores, age, as well as the level of INR at admission were independent factors associated with the development of SAP. The model showed a very good discrimination ability (AUC= 0.967, 95%CI 0.936-0.998p<0.001). Conclusion: All three scales for assessing neurological deficits (Glasgow, NIHSS, and Rankin) differed statistically between the groups, however, it was the low Glasgow scale that was determined as an independent predictor of SAP. In addition, in our study, other independent predictors were high blood pressure, dysphagia, older age, and high INR.