Stroke-heart syndrome: Incidence and clinical outcomes of cardiac complications following intracerebral haemorrhage

Introduction: Newly diagnosed cardiovascular complications following an ischaemic stroke, termed stroke-heart syndrome, are common and associated with worse outcomes. Little is known regarding stroke-heart syndrome in relation to intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH). This study aimed to investigate the incidence and 5-year major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE; acute myocardial infarction, ischaemic stroke, all-cause mortality and recurrent ICH) of newly diagnosed cardiovascular complications following incident ICH, using a global federated database. Patients and methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted using anonymised electronic medical records. Patients aged ⩾ 18 years with non-traumatic ICH and 5-year follow-up were included. Patients with newly diagnosed cardiovascular complications within 4-weeks following the initial ICH were 1:1 propensity score-matched with patients without new-onset cardiovascular complications. Each cardiovascular complications were investigated as a composite stroke-heart syndrome cohort and separately for associated MACE. Cox hazard regression models were used to determine 5-year incidence of MACE. Results: Before propensity score matching, 171,489 patients with non-traumatic ICH, 15% ( n = 26,449) experienced ⩾1 newly diagnosed cardiovascular complication within 4 weeks. After matching, patients with ICH and cardiovascular complications were associated with a significantly higher risk of 5-year MACE (HR 1.35 [95% CI 1.32–1.38]), and in each composite compared to matched controls. There was no significant risk of rehospitalisation over 5-year follow-up [HR 0.90 [0.73–1.13]). The risk of MACE was significantly higher in patients with newly diagnosed cardiovascular complications. Discussion and conclusions: Newly diagnosed cardiovascular complications following ICH (i.e. stroke-heart syndrome) were common and associated with a significantly worsened 5-year prognosis.