Post-stroke infections and preventive antibiotics in stroke: Update of clinical evidence:

This review provides an update of evidence on post-stroke infections and the use of preventive antibiotics in stroke. Infection is a common complication after stroke, affecting between 15% and 30% of the patients. The predictors for post-stroke infection can be divided into three categories: clinical factors, anatomical (stroke related) factors and immunological factors. The relation between the occurrence of a post-stroke infection and functional outcome remained subject of debate, but it seems likely that the occurrence of these infections has a causal relation with poor functional outcome and mortality. In the first meta-analysis on preventive antibiotic therapy, almost a decade ago, its beneficial effect on post-stroke infection rate was clear; however, the effect on functional outcome remained uncertain because included studies were small and heterogeneous. Afterwards, three large phase-3 RCTs were published and a Cochrane meta-analysis was performed. It has now become clear that, despite the finding...