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?:abstract
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Background: Early reports have detailed a range of neurological symptoms in patients with the SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, there is a lack of detailed description and incidence of the neurological disorders amongst hospitalized COVID-19 patients. We describe a range of neurological disorders (other than non-specific neurological symptoms), including their clinical, radiological and laboratory findings, encountered in our cohort COVID-19 patients admitted to a large tertiary institution. Methods: We reviewed our prospectively collated database of all adult Neurology referrals, Neurology and Stroke admissions and Neurological multi- disciplinary team meetings for all hospitalized patients with suspected or proven COVID-19 from 17 March 2020 to 31 August 2020. Results: Twenty-nine of 1243 COVID-19 inpatients (2.3%) presented with COVID-19-related neurological disorders. The mean age was 70.6 +/- 13.5(SD) years, age range of 46-97 years, and there were 17 males. 22 patients had confirmed, 5 were probable and 2 had suspected COVID-19 infection according to the WHO case classification. Eight patients (27%) required critical care admission. Neurological symptoms at presentation included acute confusion and delirium, seizures, and new focal neurological deficits. Based on the pre-defined neurological phenotype, COVID-19 patients were grouped into four main categories. 16 patients had cerebrovascular events (13 with acute ischaemic stroke and 3 had haemorrhagic features), 7 patients were found to have inflammatory, non-inflammatory and autoimmune encephalopathy (including 2 with known Multiple Sclerosis), whilst movement and peripheral nervous system disorders were diagnosed in 3 patients each. Conclusion: Although the exact prevalence and aetiology remains unclear, non- sporadic new onset of neurological disorders, in addition to anosmia, occurs during the acute COVID-19-infection. Longitudinal follow-up of these patients is required to determine the long-term effects, treatment response and outcome of the SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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