The risk of stroke-related pneumonia: a systematic review of peripheral immunodepression markers.

Introduction: Ischemic stroke (IS)-associated pneumonia is a leading cause of mortality after stroke, driven by peripheral immune imbalance. This systematic review evaluates immunosuppression markers associated with pneumonia following IS in clinical studies.

Methods: Following PRISMA guidelines, we searched PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, and LILACS databases until March 2024. Inclusion criteria comprised clinical studies assessing IS-related immunosuppression and pneumonia, excluding in vitro and animal studies. Study quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale.

Results: A total of 32 studies met the inclusion criteria, analyzing 1,833 post-stroke patients. Findings indicate that increased interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-10 (IL-10), and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, alongside decreased repulsive guidance molecule A (RGM-A), are early indicators of post-stroke pneumonia. Meta-analysis was not conducted due to heterogeneity in study methodologies and populations.

Conclusions: Elevated IL-6, IL-10, and CRP levels, along with reduced RGM-A, are associated with post-stroke pneumonia, emphasizing the role of immune dysregulation in its pathophysiology. Despite promising findings, further studies with standardized detection techniques are needed to enhance diagnostic accuracy and improve patient prognosis. The variability in study methodologies presents a limitation to drawing definitive conclusions.Registration: PROSPERO CRD42024543108.