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The following is a summary of “Association between SARS-CoV-2 and stroke: perspectives from a metaumbrella-review,” published in the March 2025 issue of BMC Neurology by Baldo de Souza et al. 

The global Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic highlighted the need to explore potential complications, including the risk of stroke associated with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). 

Researchers conducted a retrospective study to examine the association between SARS-CoV-2 and stroke risk using systematic reviews and meta-analyses to evaluate its inclusion as a risk factor for cerebrovascular diseases. 

They analyzed 34 systematic reviews, selecting 4 for final evaluation based on methodological quality and consistency. Findings from 70 primary studies were aggregated, considering different stroke subtypes and COVID-19-related outcomes. Study heterogeneity was assessed using the I² (I-squared) index, and significance bias was evaluated through Egger’s test. 

The results showed a significant association between COVID-19 severity and increased stroke risk [Equivalent Odds Ratio (eOR)= 2.48; 95% CI: 1.55–3.95], with a higher likelihood for ischemic stroke (eOR = 1.76; 95% CI: 1.11–2.80) and hemorrhagic stroke (eOR = 3.86; 95% CI: 1.79–8.33). Mortality risk was elevated in individuals with cerebrovascular comorbidities (eOR = 2.48; 95% CI: 2.48–19.63) and in those with a history of stroke (eOR = 6.08; 95% CI: 3.73–9.91). 

Investigators concluded that SARS-CoV-2 infection was significantly associated with increased stroke incidence, identifying COVID-19 as a potential new risk factor for cerebrovascular diseases. 

Source: bmcneurol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12883-025-04041-7