Letter in response to: Coagulation markers are independent predictors of increased oxygen requirements and thrombosis in COVID-19

COVID-19 and Delayed Cerebral Ischemia-More in Common Than First Meets the Eye

Since the arrival of the global COVID-19 pandemic scientists around the world have been working to understand the pathological mechanisms resulting from infection. There has gradually been an understanding that COVID-19 triggers a widespread endotheliopathy and that this can result in a widespread thrombosis and in particular a microthrombosis. The mechanisms involved in the microthrombosis are not confined to infection and there is evidence that patients with aneurysmal sub-arachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) also suffer from an endotheliopathy and microthrombosis. In this article we attempt to shed light on similarities in the underlying processes involved in both diseases and suggest potential treatment options.

Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis in patients with COVID-19 infection

Background

Despite the COVID-19 infection is more frequently related to acute respiratory distress but there is an increasing evidence of a heterogeneous spectrum of multi-system involvement including the central nervous system. Thromboembolic events after COVID-19 infection have been reported mainly in the pulmonary vasculature however; thromboembolic complications of the nervous system with subsequent cerebrovascular stroke have been increasingly reported. The most common cerebrovascular complication after COVID-19 infection is ischemic stroke however there is also reported cases of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis in such patients as well. In the current report we present two cases with extensive cerebral venous sinus thrombosis as a potential complication for COVID-19 infection.

Objective

Increase the awareness of neurological complications in patient with COVID-19 virus disease.

Methods

Reporting two cases with confirmed cerebral venous sinus obstruction in patient with confirmed COVID-19 infection.

Results

Two young adult males less than 30 years old have no other risk factors of hypercoagulable state apart from being COVID-19 infection victims complicated by CVST. Both of them had progressive course of deterioration in conscious level, right hemiplegia and only one seizures attack has been reported in (Case-1). Both patients in the current report died within one week of their initial symptoms in spite the aggressive medical and surgical treatment.

Conclusion

CVST is a devastating complication when associated with COVID-19 infection and early investigations for cerebrovascular integrity by using MRA, MRV whenever there are unexplained neurological manifestations in patient with COVID-19 disease.