Independent risk factors and the potential predictors of bladder cancer-related ischemic stroke

Objective To investigate the independent risk factors and potential predictors of bladder cancer-related ischemic stroke (BCRIS). Methods This was a multi-center retrospective study including patients with active bladder cancer and acute ischemic stroke without traditional stroke risk factors (BCRIS group), and sex- and age-matched patients with active bladder cancer alone (control group). Data were collected between January 2006 and December 2018. Uni- and multivariate analyses were performed to identify independent risk factors for BCRIS. The predictive performance of these risk factors was assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Results Records were retrospectively reviewed from 60 BCRIS patients and 120 bladder cancer controls. Univariate analysis revealed that serum D-dimer and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels and the platelet and neutrophil counts were significantly higher in BCRIS patients compared with controls. Multivariate analysis identified the three above-mentioned variables as independent risk factors for BCRIS. The product of all three factors gave the largest area under the ROC curve. Conclusions Elevated serum D-dimer and CEA levels and increased platelet count were independent risk factors for BCRIS, and the cut-off value based on the product of the three independent risk factors (>= 2,640,745.29) could serve as a potential predictor of BCRIS.