COVID-19 in Patients With Pre-existing Neurologic Disorders: Clinical Course and Outcomes (2608)
Publication Title
Neurology
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
4-13-2021
Keywords
california; sjci; covid-19
Abstract
Objective: To assess the clinical course and outcomes of COVID-19 in patients with pre-existing neurologic disorders and the impact of COVID-19 on neurologic disorder during and after COVID-19.
Background: In March of 2020, as COVID-19 increased in the United States, several risk factors for severe COVID-19 emerged, including age, hypertension, diabetes, and immunocompromised state. Neurologic disorders were not among these risk factors, and no information existed on the course and outcomes of COVID-19 in patients with various neurologic disorders.
Design/Methods: After receiving IRB approval, a structured questionnaire was distributed via various media platforms between April–October 2020 to the US neurologists and neurology trainees with questions pertaining to their patients with pre-existing neurologic disorders who had COVID-19 infection confirmed either by SARS-Co-V2 PCR or IgG test.
Results: Over a 6-month period, 66 patients, (age range 1–94, mean 49.2 years, 39 females, 27 males) were submitted, with most frequent neurologic disorders being chronic migraine (23%), epilepsy (12%) and multiple sclerosis (MS) (11%). Of these, 58% had a mild-to-moderate course of COVID-19 requiring no hospitalization, 41% required hospitalization or intensive care unit admission, and 5 patients died (2 were in their 90s with a history of stroke, 2 in their 60s with malignancy, and one 31-year-old male with MS.) COVID-19 resulted in exacerbation of the underlying neurologic disorder during or after COVID-19 in 57% of patients. Common persistent symptoms after COVID-19 included fatigue, exercise intolerance and headache.
Conclusions: In this cohort, majority of patients with pre-existing neurologic disorders had a mild-to-moderate course of COVID-19 requiring no hospitalization, but many experienced exacerbation of their pre-existing neurologic disorder during or after COVID-19 and had persistent symptoms of fatigue, exercise intolerance and headache. Large prospective studies are needed to determine which neurologic disorders present a significant risk in order to protect the most vulnerable patient population.
Area of Special Interest
Neurosciences (Brain & Spine)
Specialty/Research Institute
Infectious Diseases
Specialty/Research Institute
Neurosciences
Comments
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