FREQUENCY OF STROKE ASSOCIATED PNEUMONIA (SAP) WITH ISCHEMIC STROKE

Abstract

Background: Stroke-associated pneumonia (SAP) is among the most common complications following ischemic stroke and is strongly linked with increased morbidity, prolonged hospitalization, and mortality. Objective: To determine the frequency of stroke-associated pneumonia (SAP) in patients with acute ischemic stroke and to evaluate its association with demographic and clinical characteristics. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the Department of General Medicine, KEMU/Mayo Hospital, Lahore, from December 2024 to April 2025 . A total of 140 patients aged 30–80 years with acute ischemic stroke presenting within 24 hours of onset were enrolled using non-probability consecutive sampling. Patients with pre-existing infections were excluded. All patients were followed for 30 days post-stroke for the development of SAP using clinical, radiological, and laboratory criteria. Results: The mean age of the study population was 59.4 ± 10.7 years, and 58.6% were male. The overall frequency of SAP was 20.7% (29/140). Patients aged ≥60 years had a significantly higher frequency of SAP compared to those <60 years (27.5% vs. 13.2%, p = 0.03). Gender, body mass index, and duration of symptoms before presentation were not significantly associated with SAP. Conclusion: SAP is a common complication of ischemic stroke, affecting approximately one in five patients. Advanced age is a significant risk factor, while gender, BMI, and symptom duration showed no significant association. Early recognition of high-risk patients and implementation of preventive measures such as dysphagia screening, aspiration precautions, and infection monitoring are essential to improve outcomes in stroke care.