One-third of COVID-19 survivors reveal neurological problems

In patients who have recovered from COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019), many reports of persistent symptoms with long-term sequelae, including neurological symptoms, have been reported. Sequelae that result from previous injuries and illnesses bring new complications to care providers.

In this ongoing pandemic, doctors and researchers have discovered several post-COVID symptoms. Many COVID-19 patients experience neurological symptoms and syndromes. Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), COVID-19) The long-term effects of the causative agent of infection on the brain are unknown.

Longitudinal study recently published on preprint server medRxiv*, Andrea Pilotto et al. It can be seen that one-third of COVID-19-infected survivors exhibit long-term neurological symptoms after admission. Survivors exhibited a variety of neurological symptoms, from memory and attention problems to sleep disorders, myalgia and subsequent depression / anxiety, visual impairment, tremor, anosmia, and loss of smell.

Prevalence of neurological symptoms in the entire sample and in a subgroup of patients stratified by COVID-19 severity.Abbreviations: BCRSS, Brescia-COVID Respiratory Severity Scale; IADL, Activities of Daily Living

The study cohort included a sample of 165 COVID-19 survivors reassessed according to a structured and standardized clinical protocol. These patients were tested 6 months after being discharged from the COVID-19 unit at ASST Spedalisibili Hospital in Italy between February and April 2020.

The team conducted a 6-month follow-up after admission and found that patients most often suffered from fatigue (34%), memory / attention (31%), and sleep disorders (30%). Neurological examination revealed that the patient exhibited neurological abnormalities, cognitive impairment, hyposmia (decreased olfaction), and the most common postural tremor.

Patients who reported neurological symptoms were observed to be affected by more severe respiratory SARS-CoV-2 infection parameters during hospitalization.

Patients with high severity of the disease reported memory and visual impairment. The team found that neurological abnormalities were associated with older age, increased premorbidity index, worsening BCRSS (Brescia-COVID respiratory severity scale), longer hospital stays, and increased number of reported neurological symptoms. I found it to be related.

The best predictor of neurological abnormalities was identified in this study as 1). Length of stay and 2). Premorbid co-morbidity index (ie, pre-symptomatic disease of COVID-19). Cognitive impairment was particularly associated with the severity of COVID-19, regardless of age or pre-illness status. It is crucial that hospitalization and severity of COVID-19 have a significant impact on patients with other illnesses.

“This study did not consider patients with neurological disorders that developed during the acute phase of SARS-CoV-2 infection, which may underestimate the global neurological burden of COVID-19.”

This study supports previous evidence of the long-term effects of COVID-19, which involves both the central and peripheral nervous systems. The SARS-CoV-2 infection that appears in COVID-19 is primarily a respiratory illness. However, closer examination reveals that SARS-CoV-2 infection impairs multiple organs and their function.

Multiple neurological abnormalities, including mild cognitive impairment, are associated with the severity of respiratory SARS-CoV-2 infection. This study assesses the potential relationship between neurological symptoms after 6 months of follow-up in COVID-19 survivors and premorbidity and severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The team also argues that long-term neurological problems may appear common in less severe patients. This study emphasizes the importance of assessing the effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection on brain health.

“Post-COVID-19 Syndrome” debilitates many lives and often returns survivors to a doctor. After resolution of acute SARS-CoV-2 infection, it is important to investigate and investigate the prevalence, type, duration, and severity of persistent symptoms. This study will help identify the root cause — then provide better rehabilitation and care to the patient.

*Important Notices

medRxiv Publish preliminary scientific reports that should not be considered definitive as they are not peer-reviewed, guide clinical practice / health-related behaviors, and should not be treated as established information.