Materials and Methods

The study included 300 patients with ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke admitted to the neurology department from January 2021 to August 2023. The patients were divided into three groups. The first group included 100 patients with a history of coronavirus infection who were subsequently vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2. The second group comprised 100 patients with a history of COVID-19 who were not vaccinated. The third group included 100 patients with no history of coronavirus infection. We assessed the long-term outcomes of the same cohort over a five-year period (2021–2026). Data were obtained from the Unified Medical Information and Analytical System. The following parameters were evaluated: patient status (alive/dead), occurrence and number of hospitalizations, recurrent acute events, reinfection with COVID-19, and the impact of vaccination on life expectancy.

Results

The lowest survival rate was observed in the unvaccinated group, and the highest survival rate was observed in the vaccinated group. The control group occupied an intermediate position (p = 0.009). No statistically significant differences were found in the number of recurrent acute events between the groups (p > 0.05). The lowest number of COVID-19 reinfections was recorded in Group 1 (vaccinated) – 11 (11.0%). In Group 2 (unvaccinated) – 16 (16.0%). In Group 3 (control) – 32 (32.0%) (p = 0.001). The highest number of deaths over 5 years was observed in the control group – 29 (29.0%). Among unvaccinated patients with a history of COVID-19, 28 (28.0%) died. The vaccinated group had the lowest number of deaths – 16 (16.0%) (p= 0.002).

Conclusion

Despite the highest prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors in the vaccinated group with a history of COVID-19, this group had fewer deaths and fewer hospitalizations compared to the unvaccinated group. Life expectancy in the vaccinated group was substantially higher than in the other groups.

Evgeniya Tavlueva is a distinguished medical scientist and cardiologist from the Russian Federation, with extensive experience in cardiovascular medicine and preventive healthcare. She serves as the Head of the Regional Vascular Center at GBUZ “City Clinical Hospital F.I. Inozemtsev DZM” and holds a professorship in the Department of Cardiology. In addition, she is a Leading Researcher at the Department for the Study of Pathogenetic Aspects of Aging at the National Medical Research Center for Therapy and Preventive Medicine of the Ministry of Healthcare of the Russian Federation.