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.