Is there a link between infection and stroke death?

This study investigated whether infection may be associated with racial differences in stroke mortality rates. 

A stroke is a disruption of blood flow to an area in the brain. It can be caused by a blood clot (ischemic stroke) or a ruptured blood vessel (hemorrhagic stroke).

The loss of oxygen supply can result in brain damage and in severe cases, death. However, the occurrence of stroke mortality (death due to stroke) has been seen to be higher in some races/ethnicities than in others. For example, non-Hispanic black individuals have a greater risk of dying from stroke than non-Hispanic white individuals. The reason for this is unknown. 

This study investigated whether having previous exposure to infection may make certain races more susceptible to stroke mortality.

This study included 964 adults whose history of infection and health was regularly documented. The occurrence of ischemic stroke was then recorded.

The study found that if a patient developed an infection, this increased the risk of dying from an ischemic stroke by 5.82 fold within the first 30 days of contracting the infection.

Non-Hispanic blacks that developed a sudden infection were 5.18 times more likely to die from an ischemic stroke, compared to non-hispanic blacks that did not develop an infection.

Non-Hispanic whites who contracted an infection were 4.5 times more likely to die from an ischemic stroke, compared to non-Hispanic white that did not contract an infection.

And finally, Hispanics who developed an infection were 5.18 times more likely to die from an ischemic stroke, compared to Hispanics who did not develop a sudden infection.

It was found that acute infection increased the short-term risk of stroke similarly across racial/ethnic groups. Infection occurred often before stroke death in non-Hispanic blacks, with 70% experiencing an infection in the 30 days before stroke death.

The study concluded that acute, sudden infection increases the risk of stroke death for non-Hispanic blacks. 

It is likely that other factors contribute to differences in stroke death among races, such as diet and overall health.