Hala A. Shaheen ¹, Mervat Khorshied ², Mohammad A. El-Sayed ³, Mohammad A. Taha¹

Departments of Neurology, Fayoum University¹, Cairo University³;

Clinical Pathology¹, Cairo University; Egypt

Background: Infections are common and serious threat to patients with acute ischemic stroke. Objective: The prevalence of post stroke infection, the contributing clinical and immunological data did not previously explored in Egypt. Patients and Methods: Twenty five acute ischemic stroke patients (15 men and 10 women) were prospectively studied. Their mean age was 62.56±6.801 years. Stroke severity and activities of their daily living were assessed by National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and Barthel's Index.  Peripheral blood CD4 and CD25 cells were quantified for all patients on admission and after 7 days and for 20 age and sex matched control group by flow cytometry. We compared patients who developed infection with those who did not. Results: The incidence of post stroke infection was (28%), (24%) chest infection and (4%) urinary tract infection. Presence of dysphagia and higher NIHSS were statistically significantly more prevailing in patients with post stroke infection. Other clinical and laboratory data did not differ significantly between patients' subgroups. No significant correlations were encountered between T helper cells and functional outcome. Conclusions: Post stroke infection is a frequent complication in the acute phase. Stroke patients with dysphagia and those with severe stroke are more liable to develop post stroke infection. [Egypt J Neurol Psychiat Neurosurg.  2012; 49(3): 239-244]

 Key Words: Acute stroke, clinical, immunology, post stroke infection