JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Cerebrovascular diseases remain a major public health challenge, with stroke ranking among the leading causes of mortality worldwide. Among post-stroke complications, pneumonia stands out due to its high prevalence and its negative impact on clinical outcomes, including prolonged hospital stay and increased mortality. Despite its importance, the available evidence on risk factors associated with stroke-related pneumonia is characterized by heterogeneous approaches, which justifies the need for a structured and comprehensive synthesis.

Objective:

To map the risk factors related to the incidence of stroke-associated pneumonia in adults hospitalized after stroke.

Methods:

This scoping review protocol was developed in accordance with the Joanna Briggs Institute Reviewer’s Manual and the PRISMA-ScR extension. Searches will be conducted in indexed databases (PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and the Virtual Health Library) and grey literature sources (Google Scholar, CAPES Theses and Dissertations Catalog, Brazilian Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations, ProQuest, SciELO Preprints, medRxiv, ClinicalTrials.gov, and the Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials), as well as documents from the World Health Organization, Pan American Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, European Stroke Organisation, and the Brazilian Ministry of Health. Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods studies, including observational and experimental designs, will be considered, with no restrictions on language or publication date, provided that full-text and free access are available. Study selection will follow three phases using Mendeley® and Rayyan QCRI®.

Results:

The protocol has been developed and registered. Preliminary searches were conducted in August 2025 in PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library, allowing consolidation of the search strategies and planning of the subsequent stages of the review.

Conclusions:

This scoping review will provide a comprehensive mapping of the available evidence on risk factors associated with stroke-related pneumonia, supporting a better understanding of the phenomenon and informing future research, clinical practice, and preventive strategies in hospital settings.