A priori sample size was calculated. Overall, 820 consecutive patients were enrolled, 123 with stroke and, as control, 697 age- and gender-matched (295 with COPD; 402 with diseases other than HCV-associated). Patients were evaluated for HCV and conventional risk of stroke.
Prevalence of HCV was higher in patients with stroke than that observed in control (26.8 % vs. 6.6 % , p?=?0.0001). An analysis of stroke patients showed that those HCV positive were younger (p?=?0.017) had lower serum levels of cholesterol (p?=?0.001), triglycerides (p?=?0.045), and higher serum levels of inflammation markers (ESR, p?=?0.001; CRP, p?=?0.0001; fibrinogen, p?=?0.012). A multivariate analysis showed that HCV infection was an independent risk factor of stroke (O.R. 2.04, 95 % C.I. 1.69-2.46; p?=?0.0001). A secondary analysis showed that HCV patients had higher (p?=?0.031) prevalence of past ischemic heart disease.
HCV infected patients are at higher and earlier risk of stroke. Inflammation is a key mediator. Clinicians in clinical practice and researchers in future trials should take into account these new findings.