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van Lith TJ, Sluis WM, Wijers NT, Meijer FJA, Ulzen KKV, de Bresser J, Dankbaar JW, de Mast Q, Klok FA, Cannegieter SC, Wermer MJH, Huisman MV, Tuladhar AM, van der Worp HB, de Leeuw FE. Prevalence and 3-month follow-up of cerebrovascular MRI markers in hospitalized COVID-19 patients: the CORONIS study. Neuroradiology 2024; 66:1565-1575. [PMID: 38953988 PMCID: PMC11322373 DOI: 10.1007/s00234-024-03411-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE To investigate the prevalence of cerebrovascular MRI markers in unselected patients hospitalized for COVID-19 (Coronavirus disease 2019), we compared these with healthy controls without previous SARS-CoV-2 infection or hospitalization and subsequently, investigated longitudinal (incidental) lesions in patients after three months. METHODS CORONIS (CORONavirus and Ischemic Stroke) was an observational cohort study in adult hospitalized patients for COVID-19 and controls without COVID-19, conducted between April 2021 and September 2022. Brain MRI was performed shortly after discharge and after 3 months. Outcomes included recent ischemic (DWI-positive) lesions, previous infarction, microbleeds, white matter hyperintensities (WMH) and intracerebral hemorrhage and were analysed with logistic regression to adjust for confounders. RESULTS 125 patients with COVID-19 and 47 controls underwent brain MRI a median of 41.5 days after symptom onset. DWI-positive lesions were found in one patient (1%) and in one (2%) control, both clinically silent. WMH were more prevalent in patients (78%) than in controls (62%) (adjusted OR: 2.95 [95% CI: 1.07-8.57]), other cerebrovascular MRI markers did not differ. Prevalence of markers in ICU vs. non-ICU patients was similar. After three months, five patients (5%) had new cerebrovascular lesions, including DWI-positive lesions (1 patient, 1.0%), cerebral infarction (2 patients, 2.0%) and microbleeds (3 patients, 3.1%). CONCLUSION Overall, we found no higher prevalence of cerebrovascular markers in unselected hospitalized COVID-19 patients compared to controls. The few incident DWI-lesions were most likely to be explained by risk-factors of small vessel disease. In the general hospitalized COVID-19 population, COVID-19 shows limited impact on cerebrovascular MRI markers shortly after hospitalization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theresa J van Lith
- Department of Neurology, Donders Center for Medical Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, PO Box 9101, Nijmegen, 6500 HB, the Netherlands
| | - Wouter M Sluis
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Naomi T Wijers
- Department of Neurology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Frederick J A Meijer
- Department of Medical Imaging, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | | | - Jeroen de Bresser
- Department of Radiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Jan Willem Dankbaar
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University Medical Center, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Quirijn de Mast
- Department of Internal Medicine, Radboud Center for Infectious Diseases, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Frederikus A Klok
- Department of Medicine - Thrombosis and Hemostasis, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Suzanne C Cannegieter
- Department of Medicine - Thrombosis and Hemostasis, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Marieke J H Wermer
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Menno V Huisman
- Department of Medicine - Thrombosis and Hemostasis, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Anil M Tuladhar
- Department of Neurology, Donders Center for Medical Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, PO Box 9101, Nijmegen, 6500 HB, the Netherlands
| | - H Bart van der Worp
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Frank-Erik de Leeuw
- Department of Neurology, Donders Center for Medical Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, PO Box 9101, Nijmegen, 6500 HB, the Netherlands.
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McClelland AC, Benitez SJ, Burns J. COVID-19 Neuroimaging Update: Pathophysiology, Acute Findings, and Post-Acute Developments. Semin Ultrasound CT MR 2024; 45:318-331. [PMID: 38518814 DOI: 10.1053/j.sult.2024.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/24/2024]
Abstract
COVID-19 has prominent effects on the nervous system with important manifestations on neuroimaging. In this review, we discuss the neuroimaging appearance of acute COVID-19 that became evident during the early stages of the pandemic. We highlight the underlying pathophysiology mediating nervous system effects and neuroimaging appearances including systemic inflammatory response such as cytokine storm, coagulopathy, and para/post-infections immune mediated phenomena. We also discuss the nervous system manifestations of COVID-19 and the role of imaging as the pandemic has evolved over time, including related to the development of vaccines and the emergence of post-acute sequalae such as long COVID.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Steven J Benitez
- Department of Radiology, Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY
| | - Judah Burns
- Department of Radiology, Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY
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Munipalli B, Al-Soleiti M, Morris A, Rummans T. COVID-19: ramifications of the pandemic on mental health and substance abuse. Front Public Health 2024; 12:1401734. [PMID: 39145172 PMCID: PMC11322968 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1401734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 07/03/2024] [Indexed: 08/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Objective To explore the ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic on Mental Health and Substance Use. Patients and methods Relevant literature examining the correlation between COVID-19 and mental health/substance use was reviewed, and findings were summarized. Results Specific mechanisms regarding COVID-19's effects on the brain are unclear, but preliminary studies and biomarkers have been suggested in the literature. Numerous studies demonstrated COVID-19 has immediate and lingering neuropsychiatric impacts on affected patients. Psychiatric disorders and substance abuse increased during the COVID-19 pandemic due to biological and psychosocial factors, with a significant burden on individuals and societies worldwide, particularly in the United States. Conclusion COVID-19 has shown us that underlying causes of mental health and substance abuse problems are more complicated than we have appreciated. Neuroinflammation and psychosocial stresses impact mental health and substance use. These factors need to be explored further for a better understanding and intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bala Munipalli
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, United States
| | - Majd Al-Soleiti
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Anjali Morris
- University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Teresa Rummans
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
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Park JM, Kim J, Kim YW, Kim DY, Yoon SY, Kim DH. Impact of COVID-19 on brain connectivity and rehabilitation outcome after stroke. Heliyon 2024; 10:e34941. [PMID: 39149072 PMCID: PMC11325376 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e34941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2024] [Revised: 07/05/2024] [Accepted: 07/18/2024] [Indexed: 08/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) may induce neurological issues, impacting brain structure and stroke recovery. Limited studies have explored its effects on post-stroke rehabilitation. Our study compares brain structure and connectivity, assessing rehabilitation outcomes based on pre-stroke COVID-19 infection. Methods A retrospective analysis of 299 post-stroke rehabilitation cases from May 2021 to January 2023 included two groups: those diagnosed with COVID-19 at least two weeks before stroke onset (COVID group) and those without (control group). Criteria involved first unilateral supratentorial stroke, <3 months post-onset, initial MR imaging, and pre- and post-rehabilitation clinical assessments. Propensity score matching ensured age, sex, and initial clinical assessment similarities. Using lesion mapping, tract-based statistical analysis, and group-independent component analysis MRI scans were assessed for structural and functional differences. Results After propensity score matching, 12 patients were included in each group. Patient demographics showed no significant differences. Analyses of MR imaging revealed no significant differences between COVID and control groups. Post-rehabilitation clinical assessments improved notably in both groups, however the intergroup analysis showed no significant difference. Conclusions Previous COVID-19 infection did not affect brain structure or connectivity nor outcomes after rehabilitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jong Mi Park
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Anyang, South Korea
| | - Jinna Kim
- Department of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiological Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Yong Wook Kim
- Department and Research Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Deog Young Kim
- Department and Research Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Seo Yeon Yoon
- Department and Research Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Dae Hyun Kim
- Department of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, Center for Prevention and Rehabilitation, Heart Vascular Stroke Institute, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
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Björkdahl A, Gustafsson M, Öhlén H, Jarl S, Santos Tavares Silva I. Exploring the impact of cognitive dysfunction, fatigue, and shortness of breath on activities of daily life after COVID-19 infection, until 1-year follow-up. J Rehabil Med 2024; 56:jrm35403. [PMID: 38915292 PMCID: PMC11218676 DOI: 10.2340/jrm.v56.35403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/26/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Despite expanding knowledge on COVID-19, the long-term effects on daily-life activities remain unclear. The prevalence and changes in fatigue, cognitive dysfunction, and activity limitations in the first year after COVID-19 infection in hospitalized and non-hospitalized patients were explored. SUBJECTS A total of 122 patients were recruited from hospital care and 90 from primary care. METHOD Baseline data comprised the Montreal Cognitive Assessment and Trail Making Test. Participants were followed up at 3 and 12 months using these tests and a semi-structured interview to identify symptoms and how they affected participation in daily-life activities. Both within- and between-group analyses were performed to explore changes over time and compare groups. RESULT High levels of fatigue and cognitive dysfunction were found in both groups, which persisted for 12 months. A significant impact on daily-life activities was also observed, with marginal change at the 12-month follow-up. The hospital care group performed worse than the primary care group in the cognitive tests, although the primary care group perceived a higher level of fatigue and cognitive dysfunction. Activity limitations were higher in the primary care group than in the hospital care group. CONCLUSION These findings highlight the need for long-term follow-up and further investigation of the impact of persistent deficits on rehabilitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann Björkdahl
- Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy, Gothenburg, Sweden; University of Gothenburg, Sahlgrenska Academy, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Gothenburg, Sweden.
| | - Marie Gustafsson
- Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Hilda Öhlén
- Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Sara Jarl
- Primary care rehabilitation, Region of Västra Götaland, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Iolanda Santos Tavares Silva
- Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy, Gothenburg, Sweden; University of Gothenburg, Sahlgrenska Academy, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Gothenburg, Sweden
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Almeria M, Cejudo JC, Deus J, Krupinski J. Neurocognitive and Neuropsychiatric Sequelae in Long COVID-19 Infection. Brain Sci 2024; 14:604. [PMID: 38928604 PMCID: PMC11202095 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14060604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2024] [Revised: 06/07/2024] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Objective: To characterize the cognitive profile of long COVID-19 subjects and its possible association with clinical symptoms, emotional disturbance, biomarkers, and disease severity. Methods: We performed a single-center cross-sectional cohort study. Subjects between 20 and 60 years old with confirmed COVID-19 infection were included. The assessment was performed 6 months following hospital or ambulatory discharge. Excluded were those with prior neurocognitive impairment and severe neurological/neuropsychiatric disorders. Demographic and laboratory data were extracted from medical records. Results: Altogether, 108 participants were included, 64 were male (59.25%), and the mean age was 49.10 years. The patients were classified into four groups: non-hospitalized (NH, n = 10), hospitalized without Intensive Care Unit (ICU) or oxygen therapy (HOSPI, n = 21), hospitalized without ICU but with oxygen therapy (OXY, n = 56), and ICU (ICU, n = 21) patients. In total, 38 (35.18%) reported Subjective Cognitive Complaints (SCC). No differences were found considering illness severity between groups. Females had more persistent clinical symptoms and SCC than males. Persistent dyspnea and headache were associated with higher scores in anxiety and depression. Persistent fatigue, anxiety, and depression were associated with worse overall cognition. Conclusions: No cognitive impairment was found regarding the severity of post-COVID-19 infection. SCC was not associated with a worse cognitive performance, but with higher anxiety and depression. Persistent clinical symptoms were frequent independent of illness severity. Fatigue, anxiety, and depression were linked to poorer cognitive function. Tests for attention, processing speed, and executive function were the most sensitive in detecting cognitive changes in these patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Almeria
- Department of Neurology, Hospital Universitari MútuaTerrassa, 08221 Terrassa, Spain;
| | - Juan Carlos Cejudo
- Cognitive Impairment and Dementia Unit, Hospital Sagrat Cor, Hermanas Hospitalarias, 08760 Martorell, Spain
| | - Joan Deus
- Clinical and Health Department, Psychology Faculty, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
- MRI Research Unit, Department of Radiology, Hospital del Mar, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jerzy Krupinski
- Department of Neurology, Hospital Universitari MútuaTerrassa, 08221 Terrassa, Spain;
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, Department of Life Sciences John Dalton Building, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester M15 6BH, UK
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Austin TA, Thomas ML, Lu M, Hodges CB, Darowski ES, Bergmans R, Parr S, Pickell D, Catazaro M, Lantrip C, Twamley EW. Meta-analysis of Cognitive Function Following Non-severe SARS-CoV-2 Infection. Neuropsychol Rev 2024:10.1007/s11065-024-09642-6. [PMID: 38862725 DOI: 10.1007/s11065-024-09642-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024]
Abstract
To effectively diagnose and treat subjective cognitive symptoms in post-acute sequalae of COVID-19 (PASC), it is important to understand objective cognitive impairment across the range of acute COVID-19 severity. Despite the importance of this area of research, to our knowledge, there are no current meta-analyses of objective cognitive functioning following non-severe initial SARS-CoV-2 infection. The aim of this meta-analysis is to describe objective cognitive impairment in individuals with non-severe (mild or moderate) SARS-CoV-2 cases in the post-acute stage of infection. This meta-analysis was pre-registered with Prospero (CRD42021293124) and utilized the PRISMA checklist for reporting guidelines, with screening conducted by at least two independent reviewers for all aspects of the screening and data extraction process. Fifty-nine articles (total participants = 22,060) with three types of study designs met our full criteria. Individuals with non-severe (mild/moderate) initial SARS-CoV-2 infection demonstrated worse objective cognitive performance compared to healthy comparison participants. However, those with mild (nonhospitalized) initial SARS-CoV-2 infections had better objective cognitive performance than those with moderate (hospitalized but not requiring ICU care) or severe (hospitalized with ICU care) initial SARS-CoV-2 infections. For studies that used normative data comparisons instead of healthy comparison participants, there was a small and nearly significant effect when compared to normative data. There were high levels of heterogeneity (88.6 to 97.3%), likely reflecting small sample sizes and variations in primary study methodology. Individuals who have recovered from non-severe cases of SARS-CoV-2 infections may be at risk for cognitive decline or impairment and may benefit from cognitive health interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tara A Austin
- The VISN 17 Center of Excellence for Research on Returning War Veterans, 4800 Memorial Drive, Waco, TX, 76711, USA.
- Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health, San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA.
- Research Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA.
| | - Michael L Thomas
- Department of Psychology, Colorado State University, Colorado Springs, Fort Collins, USA
| | - Min Lu
- University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Cooper B Hodges
- Department of Psychology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA
| | | | - Rachel Bergmans
- Chronic Pain and Fatigue Research Center, Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Sarah Parr
- The VISN 17 Center of Excellence for Research on Returning War Veterans, 4800 Memorial Drive, Waco, TX, 76711, USA
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Baylor University, Waco, TX, USA
| | - Delaney Pickell
- Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health, San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Mikayla Catazaro
- The VISN 17 Center of Excellence for Research on Returning War Veterans, 4800 Memorial Drive, Waco, TX, 76711, USA
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Baylor University, Waco, TX, USA
| | - Crystal Lantrip
- The VISN 17 Center of Excellence for Research on Returning War Veterans, 4800 Memorial Drive, Waco, TX, 76711, USA
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Baylor University, Waco, TX, USA
| | - Elizabeth W Twamley
- Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health, San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA
- Research Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
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Pszczołowska M, Walczak K, Misków W, Antosz K, Batko J, Karska J, Leszek J. Molecular cross-talk between long COVID-19 and Alzheimer's disease. GeroScience 2024; 46:2885-2899. [PMID: 38393535 PMCID: PMC11009207 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-024-01096-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The long COVID (coronavirus disease), a multisystemic condition following severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, is one of the widespread problems. Some of its symptoms affect the nervous system and resemble symptoms of Alzheimer's disease (AD)-a neurodegenerative condition caused by the accumulation of amyloid beta and hyperphosphorylation of tau proteins. Multiple studies have found dependence between these two conditions. Patients with Alzheimer's disease have a greater risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection due to increased levels of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), and the infection itself promotes amyloid beta generation which enhances the risk of AD. Also, the molecular pathways are alike-misregulations in folate-mediated one-carbon metabolism, a deficit of Cq10, and disease-associated microglia. Medical imaging in both of these diseases shows a decrease in the volume of gray matter, global brain size reduction, and hypometabolism in the parahippocampal gyrus, thalamus, and cingulate cortex. In some studies, a similar approach to applied medication can be seen, including the use of amino adamantanes and phenolic compounds of rosemary. The significance of these connections and their possible application in medical practice still needs further study but there is a possibility that they will help to better understand long COVID.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kamil Walczak
- Faculty of Medicine, Wrocław Medical University, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Weronika Misków
- Faculty of Medicine, Wrocław Medical University, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Antosz
- Faculty of Medicine, Wrocław Medical University, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Joanna Batko
- Faculty of Medicine, Wrocław Medical University, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Julia Karska
- Clinic of Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Medical Department, Wrocław Medical University, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Jerzy Leszek
- Clinic of Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Medical Department, Wrocław Medical University, Wrocław, Poland
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Ollila H, Pihlajamaa J, Martola J, Kuusela L, Blennow K, Zetterberg H, Salmela V, Hokkanen L, Tiainen M, Hästbacka J. Brain magnetic resonance imaging findings six months after critical COVID-19: A prospective cohort study. J Crit Care 2024; 80:154502. [PMID: 38113746 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcrc.2023.154502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND COVID-19 patients suffered from neurological symptoms in the acute phase. Whether this led to long-term consequences was unknown. We studied long-term brain MRI findings in ICU-treated COVID-19 patients and compared them with findings in groups with less severe acute disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS In this prospective cohort study, 69 ICU-treated, 46 ward-treated, and 46 home-isolated patients, as well as 53 non-COVID-19 controls, underwent brain MRI six months after acute COVID-19. Plasma neurofilament light chain (NfL), a biomarker of neuroaxonal injury, was measured simultaneously. RESULTS Ischaemic infarctions existed in 5.8% of ICU-treated patients. Cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) existed in 27 (39.1%) ICU-treated, 13 (28.3%) ward-treated, 8 (17.4%) home-isolated COVID-19 patients, and 12 (22.6%) non-COVID controls. Patients with CMBs were older (p < 0.001), had a higher level of plasma NfL (p = 0.003), and higher supplementary oxygen days (p < 0.001). In multivariable analysis, age (OR 1.06, 95% CI 1.02-1.09) and supplementary oxygen days (OR 1.07, 95% CI 1.02-1.13) were associated with CMBs. The ICU group showed prevalent distribution of CMBs in deep regions. CONCLUSION Age and supplementary oxygen days were independently associated with CMBs; COVID-19 status showed no association. Accumulation of risk factors in the ICU group may explain the higher prevalence of CMBs. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.govNCT04864938, registered February 9, 2021.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henriikka Ollila
- Department of Perioperative, Intensive Care and Pain Medicine, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Janne Pihlajamaa
- HUS Medical Imaging Centre, Radiology, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Juha Martola
- HUS Medical Imaging Centre, Radiology, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Linda Kuusela
- HUS Medical Imaging Centre, Radiology, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Kaj Blennow
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden; Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Henrik Zetterberg
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden; Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden; Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, UK; UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, London, UK; Hong Kong Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong, China; UW Department of Medicine, School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Viljami Salmela
- Department of Psychology and Logopaedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Laura Hokkanen
- Department of Psychology and Logopaedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Marjaana Tiainen
- Department of Neurology, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Johanna Hästbacka
- Department of Perioperative, Intensive Care and Pain Medicine, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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Eligulashvili A, Gordon M, Lee JS, Lee J, Mehrotra-Varma S, Mehrotra-Varma J, Hsu K, Hilliard I, Lee K, Li A, Essibayi MA, Yee J, Altschul DJ, Eskandar E, Mehler MF, Duong TQ. Long-term outcomes of hospitalized patients with SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 with and without neurological involvement: 3-year follow-up assessment. PLoS Med 2024; 21:e1004263. [PMID: 38573873 PMCID: PMC10994395 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1004263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Acute neurological manifestation is a common complication of acute Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) disease. This retrospective cohort study investigated the 3-year outcomes of patients with and without significant neurological manifestations during initial COVID-19 hospitalization. METHODS AND FINDINGS Patients hospitalized for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection between 03/01/2020 and 4/16/2020 in the Montefiore Health System in the Bronx, an epicenter of the early pandemic, were included. Follow-up data was captured up to 01/23/2023 (3 years post-COVID-19). This cohort consisted of 414 patients with COVID-19 with significant neurological manifestations and 1,199 propensity-matched patients (for age and COVID-19 severity score) with COVID-19 without neurological manifestations. Neurological involvement during the acute phase included acute stroke, new or recrudescent seizures, anatomic brain lesions, presence of altered mentation with evidence for impaired cognition or arousal, and neuro-COVID-19 complex (headache, anosmia, ageusia, chemesthesis, vertigo, presyncope, paresthesias, cranial nerve abnormalities, ataxia, dysautonomia, and skeletal muscle injury with normal orientation and arousal signs). There were no significant group differences in female sex composition (44.93% versus 48.21%, p = 0.249), ICU and IMV status, white, not Hispanic (6.52% versus 7.84%, p = 0.380), and Hispanic (33.57% versus 38.20%, p = 0.093), except black non-Hispanic (42.51% versus 36.03%, p = 0.019). Primary outcomes were mortality, stroke, heart attack, major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), reinfection, and hospital readmission post-discharge. Secondary outcomes were neuroimaging findings (hemorrhage, active and prior stroke, mass effect, microhemorrhages, white matter changes, microvascular disease (MVD), and volume loss). More patients in the neurological cohort were discharged to acute rehabilitation (10.39% versus 3.34%, p < 0.001) or skilled nursing facilities (35.75% versus 25.35%, p < 0.001) and fewer to home (50.24% versus 66.64%, p < 0.001) than matched controls. Incidence of readmission for any reason (65.70% versus 60.72%, p = 0.036), stroke (6.28% versus 2.34%, p < 0.001), and MACE (20.53% versus 16.51%, p = 0.032) was higher in the neurological cohort post-discharge. Per Kaplan-Meier univariate survival curve analysis, such patients in the neurological cohort were more likely to die post-discharge compared to controls (hazard ratio: 2.346, (95% confidence interval (CI) [1.586, 3.470]; p < 0.001)). Across both cohorts, the major causes of death post-discharge were heart disease (13.79% neurological, 15.38% control), sepsis (8.63%, 17.58%), influenza and pneumonia (13.79%, 9.89%), COVID-19 (10.34%, 7.69%), and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) (10.34%, 6.59%). Factors associated with mortality after leaving the hospital involved the neurological cohort (odds ratio (OR): 1.802 (95% CI [1.237, 2.608]; p = 0.002)), discharge disposition (OR: 1.508 (95% CI [1.276, 1.775]; p < 0.001)), congestive heart failure (OR: 2.281 (95% CI [1.429, 3.593]; p < 0.001)), higher COVID-19 severity score (OR: 1.177 (95% CI [1.062, 1.304]; p = 0.002)), and older age (OR: 1.027 (95% CI [1.010, 1.044]; p = 0.002)). There were no group differences in radiological findings, except that the neurological cohort showed significantly more age-adjusted brain volume loss (p = 0.045) than controls. The study's patient cohort was limited to patients infected with COVID-19 during the first wave of the pandemic, when hospitals were overburdened, vaccines were not yet available, and treatments were limited. Patient profiles might differ when interrogating subsequent waves. CONCLUSIONS Patients with COVID-19 with neurological manifestations had worse long-term outcomes compared to matched controls. These findings raise awareness and the need for closer monitoring and timely interventions for patients with COVID-19 with neurological manifestations, as their disease course involving initial neurological manifestations is associated with enhanced morbidity and mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Eligulashvili
- Department of Radiology, Montefiore Health System and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
| | - Moshe Gordon
- Department of Radiology, Montefiore Health System and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
| | - Jimmy S. Lee
- Department of Radiology, Montefiore Health System and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
| | - Jeylin Lee
- Department of Radiology, Montefiore Health System and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
| | - Shiv Mehrotra-Varma
- Department of Radiology, Montefiore Health System and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
| | - Jai Mehrotra-Varma
- Department of Radiology, Montefiore Health System and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
| | - Kevin Hsu
- Department of Radiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Imanyah Hilliard
- Department of Radiology, Montefiore Health System and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
| | - Kristen Lee
- Department of Radiology, Montefiore Health System and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
| | - Arleen Li
- Department of Radiology, Montefiore Health System and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
| | - Muhammed Amir Essibayi
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Montefiore Health System and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
| | - Judy Yee
- Department of Radiology, Montefiore Health System and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
| | - David J. Altschul
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Montefiore Health System and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
| | - Emad Eskandar
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Montefiore Health System and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
| | - Mark F. Mehler
- Department of Neurology, Montefiore Health System and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
| | - Tim Q. Duong
- Department of Radiology, Montefiore Health System and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
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11
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Makhluf H, Madany H, Kim K. Long COVID: Long-Term Impact of SARS-CoV2. Diagnostics (Basel) 2024; 14:711. [PMID: 38611624 PMCID: PMC11011397 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics14070711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2024] [Revised: 03/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Four years post-pandemic, SARS-CoV-2 continues to affect many lives across the globe. An estimated 65 million people suffer from long COVID, a term used to encapsulate the post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infections that affect multiple organ systems. Known symptoms include chronic fatigue syndrome, brain fog, cardiovascular issues, autoimmunity, dysautonomia, and clotting due to inflammation. Herein, we review long COVID symptoms, the proposed theories behind the pathology, diagnostics, treatments, and the clinical trials underway to explore treatments for viral persistence, autonomic and cognitive dysfunctions, sleep disturbances, fatigue, and exercise intolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huda Makhluf
- Department of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, National University, San Diego, CA 92123, USA
- Center for Infectious Disease, La Jolla Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; (H.M.); (K.K.)
| | - Henry Madany
- Center for Infectious Disease, La Jolla Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; (H.M.); (K.K.)
- Public Health Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Kenneth Kim
- Center for Infectious Disease, La Jolla Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; (H.M.); (K.K.)
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12
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Kiyak C, Ijezie OA, Ackah JA, Armstrong M, Cowen J, Cetinkaya D, Burianová H, Akudjedu TN. Topographical Distribution of Neuroanatomical Abnormalities Following COVID-19 Invasion : A Systematic Literature Review. Clin Neuroradiol 2024; 34:13-31. [PMID: 37697012 PMCID: PMC10881816 DOI: 10.1007/s00062-023-01344-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE This systematic review is aimed at synthesising the literature base to date on the frequency and topographical distribution of neuroanatomical changes seen on imaging following COVID-19 invasion with a focus on both the acute and chronic phases of the disease. METHODS In this study, 8 databases were systematically searched to identify relevant articles published from December 2019 to March 2022 and supplemented with a manual reference search. Data were extracted from the included studies and narrative synthesis was employed to integrate the findings. RESULTS A total of 110 studies met the inclusion criteria and comprised 119,307 participants (including 31,073 acute and 143 long COVID-19 patients manifesting neurological alterations) and controls. Considerable variability in both the localisation and nature of neuroanatomical abnormalities are noted along the continuum with a wide range of neuropathologies relating to the cerebrovascular/neurovascular system, (sub)cortical structures (including deep grey and white matter structures), brainstem, and predominant regional and/or global alterations in the cerebellum with varying degrees of spinal involvement. CONCLUSION Structural regional alterations on neuroimaging are frequently demonstrated in both the acute and chronic phases of SARS-CoV‑2 infection, particularly prevalent across subcortical, prefrontal/frontal and cortico-limbic brain areas as well as the cerebrovascular/neurovascular system. These findings contribute to our understanding of the acute and chronic effects of the virus on the nervous system and has the potential to provide information on acute and long-term treatment and neurorehabilitation decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ceyda Kiyak
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Bournemouth University, Bournemouth, UK
- School of Psychology, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
| | | | - Joseph A Ackah
- Institute of Medical Imaging and Visualisation, Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, Bournemouth University, 8 8GP, Bournemouth, UK
| | - Matthew Armstrong
- Department of Rehabilitation & Sports Sciences, Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, Bournemouth University, Bournemouth, UK
| | - Jake Cowen
- Department of Radiology, Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust, Portsmouth, UK
| | - Deniz Cetinkaya
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Bournemouth University, Bournemouth, UK
| | - Hana Burianová
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Bournemouth University, Bournemouth, UK
| | - Theophilus N Akudjedu
- Institute of Medical Imaging and Visualisation, Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, Bournemouth University, 8 8GP, Bournemouth, UK.
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13
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Fanshawe JB, Sargent BF, Badenoch JB, Saini A, Watson CJ, Pokrovskaya A, Aniwattanapong D, Conti I, Nye C, Burchill E, Hussain ZU, Said K, Kuhoga E, Tharmaratnam K, Pendered S, Mbwele B, Taquet M, Wood GK, Rogers JP, Hampshire A, Carson A, David AS, Michael BD, Nicholson TR, Paddick SM, Leek CE. Cognitive domains affected post-COVID-19; a systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur J Neurol 2024:e16181. [PMID: 38375608 DOI: 10.1111/ene.16181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 02/21/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE This review aims to characterize the pattern of post-COVID-19 cognitive impairment, allowing better prediction of impact on daily function to inform clinical management and rehabilitation. METHODS A systematic review and meta-analysis of neurocognitive sequelae following COVID-19 was conducted, following PRISMA-S guidelines. Studies were included if they reported domain-specific cognitive assessment in patients with COVID-19 at >4 weeks post-infection. Studies were deemed high-quality if they had >40 participants, utilized healthy controls, had low attrition rates and mitigated for confounders. RESULTS Five of the seven primary Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) cognitive domains were assessed by enough high-quality studies to facilitate meta-analysis. Medium effect sizes indicating impairment in patients post-COVID-19 versus controls were seen across executive function (standardised mean difference (SMD) -0.45), learning and memory (SMD -0.55), complex attention (SMD -0.54) and language (SMD -0.54), with perceptual motor function appearing to be impacted to a greater degree (SMD -0.70). A narrative synthesis of the 56 low-quality studies also suggested no obvious pattern of impairment. CONCLUSIONS This review found moderate impairments across multiple domains of cognition in patients post-COVID-19, with no specific pattern. The reported literature was significantly heterogeneous, with a wide variety of cognitive tasks, small sample sizes and disparate initial disease severities limiting interpretability. The finding of consistent impairment across a range of cognitive tasks suggests broad, as opposed to domain-specific, brain dysfunction. Future studies should utilize a harmonized test battery to facilitate inter-study comparisons, whilst also accounting for the interactions between COVID-19, neurological sequelae and mental health, the interplay between which might explain cognitive impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack B Fanshawe
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
| | - Brendan F Sargent
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Department of Clinical Infection, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - James B Badenoch
- Barts Health NHS Trust, London, UK
- Preventive Neurology Unit, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Aman Saini
- School of Life and Medical Sciences, University College London, London, UK
| | - Cameron J Watson
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | | | - Daruj Aniwattanapong
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- Department of Psychiatry, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Isabella Conti
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Charles Nye
- Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Gloucester, UK
| | - Ella Burchill
- Division of Psychiatry, University College London, London, UK
| | - Zain U Hussain
- NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Glasgow, UK
- Edinburgh Medical School, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Khanafi Said
- Mbeya College of Health and Allied Sciences, University of Dar es Salaam, Mbeya, Tanzania
| | - Elinda Kuhoga
- Mbeya College of Health and Allied Sciences, University of Dar es Salaam, Mbeya, Tanzania
| | - Kukatharmini Tharmaratnam
- Department of Clinical Infection, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Sophie Pendered
- Department of Clinical Infection, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Bernard Mbwele
- Mbeya College of Health and Allied Sciences, University of Dar es Salaam, Mbeya, Tanzania
| | - Maxime Taquet
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
| | - Greta K Wood
- Department of Clinical Infection, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | | | - Adam Hampshire
- Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Alan Carson
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Anthony S David
- Division of Psychiatry, University College London, London, UK
| | - Benedict D Michael
- Department of Clinical Infection, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
- NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Emerging and Zoonotic Infections at University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
- Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, UK
| | - Timothy R Nicholson
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Stella-Maria Paddick
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
- Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust, Gateshead, UK
| | - Charles E Leek
- Department of Psychology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
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14
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Birberg Thornberg U, Andersson A, Lindh M, Hellgren L, Divanoglou A, Levi R. Neurocognitive deficits in COVID-19 patients five months after discharge from hospital. Neuropsychol Rehabil 2023; 33:1599-1623. [PMID: 36239662 DOI: 10.1080/09602011.2022.2125020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/11/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
This observational cohort study explored objective neurocognitive deficits in COVID-19 patients five months after discharge, and any associations with demographic factors and disease severity indicators. Medical notes of all COVID-19 patients admitted to hospital in Region Östergötland, Sweden, March-May 2020, were reviewed. After applying exclusion criteria, 433 patients were screened by telephone. Of these, 185 patients reported persistent and concerning post-COVID-19 problems, including but not restricted to cognitive functions, and were invited to a clinical evaluation. The Repeatable Battery for Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) and Colour-Word Interference Test (CWIT) were used to assess immediate memory, visuo-spatial function, language, attention, delayed memory, and executive function. A total of 133 patients had valid test performances. Mean RBANS Global Cognition Score was 83.4, with 37% scoring below cut-off (1.5 SD). Deficits in Attention and Memory indices were most common, each affecting approximately 30% of the patients. After adjustment for sex, language, level of education and premorbid function, neurocognitive performance was positively associated with length of hospital stay, but not with the disease severity indicators WHO CPS and CRP. Findings support that comprehensive neuropsychological assessment should be performed when patients report post-COVID-19 symptoms that affect daily life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrika Birberg Thornberg
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine and Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
- Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Agnes Andersson
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine and Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Malin Lindh
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine and Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Lovisa Hellgren
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Region Jönköping County, and Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Anestis Divanoglou
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine and Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Richard Levi
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine and Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
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15
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Zhang JX, Zhang JJ. Case Report of Improvement in Long-COVID Symptoms in an Air Force Medic Treated With Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Using Electro-Magnetic Brain Pulse Technique. Mil Med 2023; 188:e3711-e3715. [PMID: 37267198 DOI: 10.1093/milmed/usad182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Revised: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Long-coronavirus disease (COVID) is an ill-defined set of symptoms persisting in patients following infection with COVID-19 that range from any combination of persistent breathing difficulties to anosmia, impaired attention, memory, fatigue, or pain. Recently, noninvasive transcutaneous electrical brain stimulation techniques have been showing early signs of success in addressing some of these complaints. We postulate that the use of a stimulation technique with transcranial magnetic stimulation may also similarly be effective. A 36-year-old male suffering from symptoms of dyspnea, anosmia, and "brain fog" for 2 years following coronavirus infection was treated with 10 sessions of Electro-Magnetic Brain Pulse (EMBP®), a personalized transcranial magnetic stimulation protocol guided by the patient's electroencephalograph (EEG). At the conclusion of the treatment, the patient had improvements in mood, sense of smell, and brain fogging. Dyspnea also decreased with a gain of 11% forced expiratory volume 1/forced vital capacity. A high-sensitivity athletic training cognitive test showed an overall 27% increase in aggregate score. A significant portion of this was attributed to changes in visual clarity and decision-making speed. Post-treatment EEG showed a shift from predominantly delta waves to more synchronized alpha wave patterns during the resting state. Brain stimulation techniques appear to be showing early signs of success with long-COVID symptoms. This is the first case describing the use of a magnetic stimulation technique with quantitative test results and recorded EEG changes. Given the early success in this patient with cognition, dyspnea, and anosmia, this noninvasive treatment modality warrants further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joe X Zhang
- A3TH-Aircrew Performance Branch, Air Combat Command, JBLE, VA 23665, USA
| | - Jianzhong J Zhang
- 55th Aerospace Medicine Squadron, 55th Medical Group, Offutt AFB, NB 68113, USA
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16
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Shariff S, Uwishema O, Mizero J, Devi Thambi V, Nazir A, Mahmoud A, Kaushik I, Khayat S, Yusif Maigoro A, Awde S, Al Maaz Z, Alwan I, Hijazi M, Wellington J, Soojin L. Long-term cognitive dysfunction after the COVID-19 pandemic: a narrative review. Ann Med Surg (Lond) 2023; 85:5504-5510. [PMID: 37915705 PMCID: PMC10617879 DOI: 10.1097/ms9.0000000000001265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, has brought a conglomerate of novel chronic disabling conditions described as 'Long COVID/Post-COVID-19 Syndrome'. Recent evidence suggests that the multifaceted nature of this syndrome results in both pulmonary and extrapulmonary sequelae,chronic dyspnoea, persistent fatigue, and cognitive dysfunction being the most common, debilitating symptoms. Several mechanisms engender or exacerbate cognitive impairment, including central nervous system and extra-central nervous system causes, although the exact mechanism remains unclear. Both hospitalized and non-hospitalized patients may suffer varying degrees of cognitive impairment, ranging from fatigue and brain fog to prolonged deficits in memory and attention, detrimental to the quality-of-life years post-recovery. The aim of this review is to understand the underlying mechanisms, associations, and attempts for prevention with early intervention of long-term cognitive impairment post-COVID-19. Methodology A systematic search was conducted through multiple databases such as Medline, National Library of Medicine, Ovid, Scopus database to retrieve all the articles on the long-term sequalae of cognitive dysfunction after SARS-CoV-2 infection. The inclusion criteria included all articles pertinent to this specific topic and exclusion criteria subtracted studies pertaining to other aetiologies of cognitive dysfunction. This search was carefully screened for duplicates and the relevant information was extracted and analysed. Results/discussion To date, the exact pathogenesis, and underlying mechanisms behind cognitive dysfunction in COVID-19, remain unclear, hindering the development of adequate management strategies. However, the proposed mechanisms suggested by various studies include direct damage to the blood-brain barrier, systemic inflammation, prolonged hypoxia, and extended intensive care admissions. However, no clear-cut guidelines for management are apparent. Conclusion This review of the COVID-19 pandemic has elucidated a new global challenge which is affecting individuals' quality of life by inducing long-term impaired cognitive function. The authors have found that comprehensive evaluations and interventions are crucial to address the cognitive sequelae in all COVID-19 patients, especially in patients with pre-existing cognitive impairment. Nevertheless, the authors recommend further research for the development of relevant, timely neurocognitive assessments and treatment plans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanobar Shariff
- Oli Health Magazine Organization, Research and Education, Kigali, Rwanda
- Yerevan State Medical University, Yerevan, Armenia
| | - Olivier Uwishema
- Oli Health Magazine Organization, Research and Education, Kigali, Rwanda
- Clinton Global Initiative University, NY
- Faculty of Medicine, Karadeniz Technical University, Trabzon, Turkey
| | - Jocelyn Mizero
- Oli Health Magazine Organization, Research and Education, Kigali, Rwanda
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Ghana Medical School, Accra, Ghana
| | - Vimala Devi Thambi
- Oli Health Magazine Organization, Research and Education, Kigali, Rwanda
- R- endo Inc, Hamilton, NJ & Dr. NTR University Health Sciences
| | - Abubakar Nazir
- Oli Health Magazine Organization, Research and Education, Kigali, Rwanda
- Department of Medicine, King Edward Medical University, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Ashraf Mahmoud
- Oli Health Magazine Organization, Research and Education, Kigali, Rwanda
- Faculty of Medicine, Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University College KCMUCo, Tanzania
| | - Ikshwaki Kaushik
- Oli Health Magazine Organization, Research and Education, Kigali, Rwanda
- Faculty of Medicine, David Tvildiani Medical University, Tbilisi, Georgia
| | - Saadeddine Khayat
- Oli Health Magazine Organization, Research and Education, Kigali, Rwanda
- Faculty of Medicine, Beirut Arab University, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Abdulkadir Yusif Maigoro
- Oli Health Magazine Organization, Research and Education, Kigali, Rwanda
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Korea
| | - Sara Awde
- Oli Health Magazine Organization, Research and Education, Kigali, Rwanda
- Faculty of Medicine, Beirut Arab University, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Zeina Al Maaz
- Oli Health Magazine Organization, Research and Education, Kigali, Rwanda
- Faculty of Medicine, Beirut Arab University, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Iktimal Alwan
- Oli Health Magazine Organization, Research and Education, Kigali, Rwanda
- Faculty of Medicine, Beirut Arab University, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Mahdi Hijazi
- Oli Health Magazine Organization, Research and Education, Kigali, Rwanda
- Faculty of Medicine, Beirut Arab University, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Jack Wellington
- Oli Health Magazine Organization, Research and Education, Kigali, Rwanda
- Faculty of Medicine, Cardiff University School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Lee Soojin
- Oli Health Magazine Organization, Research and Education, Kigali, Rwanda
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Korea
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17
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Boito D, Eklund A, Tisell A, Levi R, Özarslan E, Blystad I. MRI with generalized diffusion encoding reveals damaged white matter in patients previously hospitalized for COVID-19 and with persisting symptoms at follow-up. Brain Commun 2023; 5:fcad284. [PMID: 37953843 PMCID: PMC10638510 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcad284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Revised: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023] Open
Abstract
There is mounting evidence of the long-term effects of COVID-19 on the central nervous system, with patients experiencing diverse symptoms, often suggesting brain involvement. Conventional brain MRI of these patients shows unspecific patterns, with no clear connection of the symptomatology to brain tissue abnormalities, whereas diffusion tensor studies and volumetric analyses detect measurable changes in the brain after COVID-19. Diffusion MRI exploits the random motion of water molecules to achieve unique sensitivity to structures at the microscopic level, and new sequences employing generalized diffusion encoding provide structural information which are sensitive to intravoxel features. In this observational study, a total of 32 persons were investigated: 16 patients previously hospitalized for COVID-19 with persisting symptoms of post-COVID condition (mean age 60 years: range 41-79, all male) at 7-month follow-up and 16 matched controls, not previously hospitalized for COVID-19, with no post-COVID symptoms (mean age 58 years, range 46-69, 11 males). Standard MRI and generalized diffusion encoding MRI were employed to examine the brain white matter of the subjects. To detect possible group differences, several tissue microstructure descriptors obtainable with the employed diffusion sequence, the fractional anisotropy, mean diffusivity, axial diffusivity, radial diffusivity, microscopic anisotropy, orientational coherence (Cc) and variance in compartment's size (CMD) were analysed using the tract-based spatial statistics framework. The tract-based spatial statistics analysis showed widespread statistically significant differences (P < 0.05, corrected for multiple comparisons using the familywise error rate) in all the considered metrics in the white matter of the patients compared to the controls. Fractional anisotropy, microscopic anisotropy and Cc were lower in the patient group, while axial diffusivity, radial diffusivity, mean diffusivity and CMD were higher. Significant changes in fractional anisotropy, microscopic anisotropy and CMD affected approximately half of the analysed white matter voxels located across all brain lobes, while changes in Cc were mainly found in the occipital parts of the brain. Given the predominant alteration in microscopic anisotropy compared to Cc, the observed changes in diffusion anisotropy are mostly due to loss of local anisotropy, possibly connected to axonal damage, rather than white matter fibre coherence disruption. The increase in radial diffusivity is indicative of demyelination, while the changes in mean diffusivity and CMD are compatible with vasogenic oedema. In summary, these widespread alterations of white matter microstructure are indicative of vasogenic oedema, demyelination and axonal damage. These changes might be a contributing factor to the diversity of central nervous system symptoms that many patients experience after COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deneb Boito
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Linköping University, S-58183 Linköping, Sweden
- Centre for Medical Image Science and Visualization (CMIV), Linköping University, S-58183 Linköping, Sweden
| | - Anders Eklund
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Linköping University, S-58183 Linköping, Sweden
- Centre for Medical Image Science and Visualization (CMIV), Linköping University, S-58183 Linköping, Sweden
- Division of Statistics and Machine learning, Department of Computer and Information Science, Linköping University, S-58183 Linköping, Sweden
| | - Anders Tisell
- Centre for Medical Image Science and Visualization (CMIV), Linköping University, S-58183 Linköping, Sweden
- Department of Radiation Physics, Linköping University, S-58185 Linköping, Sweden
- Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, S58183 Linköping, Sweden
| | - Richard Levi
- Centre for Medical Image Science and Visualization (CMIV), Linköping University, S-58183 Linköping, Sweden
- Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, S58183 Linköping, Sweden
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine in Linköping, Linköping University, S-58185 Linköping, Sweden
| | - Evren Özarslan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Linköping University, S-58183 Linköping, Sweden
- Centre for Medical Image Science and Visualization (CMIV), Linköping University, S-58183 Linköping, Sweden
| | - Ida Blystad
- Centre for Medical Image Science and Visualization (CMIV), Linköping University, S-58183 Linköping, Sweden
- Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, S58183 Linköping, Sweden
- Department of Radiology in Linköping, Linköping University, S-58185 Linköping, Sweden
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18
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Boparai MS, Musheyev B, Hou W, Mehler MF, Duong TQ. Brain MRI findings in severe COVID-19 patients: a meta-analysis. Front Neurol 2023; 14:1258352. [PMID: 37900601 PMCID: PMC10602808 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1258352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Neurocognitive symptoms and dysfunction of various severities have become increasingly recognized as potential consequences of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Although there are numerous observational and subjective survey-reporting studies of neurological symptoms, by contrast, those studies describing imaging abnormalities are fewer in number. Methods This study conducted a metanalysis of 32 studies to determine the incidence of the common neurological abnormalities using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with COVID-19. Results We also present the common clinical findings associated with MRI abnormalities. We report the incidence of any MRI abnormality to be 55% in COVID-19 patients with perfusion abnormalities (53%) and SWI abnormalities (44%) being the most commonly reported injuries. Cognitive impairment, ICU admission and/or mechanical ventilation status, older age, and hospitalization or longer length of hospital stay were the most common clinical findings associated with brain injury in COVID-19 patients. Discussion Overall, the presentation of brain injury in this study was diverse with no substantial pattern of injury emerging, yet most injuries appear to be of vascular origin. Moreover, analysis of the association between MRI abnormalities and clinical findings suggests that there are likely many mechanisms, both direct and indirect, by which brain injury occurs in COVID-19 patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Montek S. Boparai
- Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, United States
- Department of Radiology, Montefiore Medical Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States
| | - Benjamin Musheyev
- Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, United States
| | - Wei Hou
- Department of Radiology, Montefiore Medical Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States
| | - Mark F. Mehler
- Department of Neurology, Montefiore Health System and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States
| | - Tim Q. Duong
- Department of Radiology, Montefiore Medical Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States
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Vasilev Y, Blokhin I, Khoruzhaya A, Kodenko M, Kolyshenkov V, Nanova O, Shumskaya Y, Omelyanskaya O, Vladzymyrskyy A, Reshetnikov R. Routine Brain MRI Findings on the Long-Term Effects of COVID-19: A Scoping Review. Diagnostics (Basel) 2023; 13:2533. [PMID: 37568896 PMCID: PMC10417725 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics13152533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES Post-COVID condition (PCC) is associated with long-term neuropsychiatric symptoms. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in PCC examines the brain metabolism, connectivity, and morphometry. Such techniques are not easily available in routine practice. We conducted a scoping review to determine what is known about the routine MRI findings in PCC patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS The PubMed database was searched up to 11 April 2023. We included cohort, cross-sectional, and before-after studies in English. Articles with only advanced MRI sequences (DTI, fMRI, VBM, PWI, ASL), preprints, and case reports were excluded. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and PRISMA Extension tools were used for quality assurance. RESULTS A total of 7 citations out of 167 were included. The total sample size was 451 patients (average age 51 ± 8 years; 67% female). Five studies followed a single recovering cohort, while two studies compared findings between two severity groups. The MRI findings were perivascular spaces (47%), microbleeds (27%) and white matter lesions (10%). All the studies agreed that PCC manifestations are not associated with specific MRI findings. CONCLUSION The results of the included studies are heterogeneous due to the low agreement on the types of MRI abnormalities in PCC. Our findings indicate that the routine brain MRI protocol has little value for long COVID diagnostics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuriy Vasilev
- Research and Practical Clinical Center for Diagnostics and Telemedicine Technologies, Department of Health Care of Moscow, Russian Federation, Petrovka Street, 24, Building 1, 127051 Moscow, Russia
| | - Ivan Blokhin
- Research and Practical Clinical Center for Diagnostics and Telemedicine Technologies, Department of Health Care of Moscow, Russian Federation, Petrovka Street, 24, Building 1, 127051 Moscow, Russia
| | - Anna Khoruzhaya
- Research and Practical Clinical Center for Diagnostics and Telemedicine Technologies, Department of Health Care of Moscow, Russian Federation, Petrovka Street, 24, Building 1, 127051 Moscow, Russia
| | - Maria Kodenko
- Research and Practical Clinical Center for Diagnostics and Telemedicine Technologies, Department of Health Care of Moscow, Russian Federation, Petrovka Street, 24, Building 1, 127051 Moscow, Russia
- Department of Biomedical Technologies, Bauman Moscow State Technical University, 2nd Baumanskaya Street, 5, Building 1, 105005 Moscow, Russia
| | - Vasiliy Kolyshenkov
- Research and Practical Clinical Center for Diagnostics and Telemedicine Technologies, Department of Health Care of Moscow, Russian Federation, Petrovka Street, 24, Building 1, 127051 Moscow, Russia
| | - Olga Nanova
- Research and Practical Clinical Center for Diagnostics and Telemedicine Technologies, Department of Health Care of Moscow, Russian Federation, Petrovka Street, 24, Building 1, 127051 Moscow, Russia
| | - Yuliya Shumskaya
- Research and Practical Clinical Center for Diagnostics and Telemedicine Technologies, Department of Health Care of Moscow, Russian Federation, Petrovka Street, 24, Building 1, 127051 Moscow, Russia
- Department of Information and Internet Technologies, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Trubetskaya Street, 8, Building 2, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Olga Omelyanskaya
- Research and Practical Clinical Center for Diagnostics and Telemedicine Technologies, Department of Health Care of Moscow, Russian Federation, Petrovka Street, 24, Building 1, 127051 Moscow, Russia
| | - Anton Vladzymyrskyy
- Research and Practical Clinical Center for Diagnostics and Telemedicine Technologies, Department of Health Care of Moscow, Russian Federation, Petrovka Street, 24, Building 1, 127051 Moscow, Russia
- Department of Information and Internet Technologies, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Trubetskaya Street, 8, Building 2, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Roman Reshetnikov
- Research and Practical Clinical Center for Diagnostics and Telemedicine Technologies, Department of Health Care of Moscow, Russian Federation, Petrovka Street, 24, Building 1, 127051 Moscow, Russia
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20
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Xiao W, Liu X, Wang H, Huang Y, Dai Z, Si M, Fu J, Chen X, Jia M, Leng Z, Cui D, Mak WWS, Su X. Prevalence and risk for symptoms of PTSD among survivors of a COVID-19 infection. Psychiatry Res 2023; 326:115304. [PMID: 37352746 PMCID: PMC10275658 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2023.115304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/25/2023]
Abstract
COVID-19 pandemic has profound psychological effects worldwide and the psychological sequelae will persist for a long time among COVID-19 survivors. This cross-sectional study aimed to explore the prevalence of PTSD and its associated risk factors in COVID-19 survivors of the first wave pandemic. Demographics questionnaire, the Impact of Events Scale-Revised, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, the Fatigue Scale-14, the Resilience Style Questionnaire, the Short Version of COVID-19 Stigma Scale, the Peace of Mind Scale, and the Perceived Social Support Questionnaire were used to collect relevant information of the participants. The propensity score-matching (PSM) method was employed to adjust covariate or confounding variables in order to derive more accurate conclusions. After PSM, adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were determined by binary conditional logistic regression. A total of 1541 COVID-19 survivors were included firstly and 15.2% reported PTSD symptoms, 1108 participants left after PSM. Four risk factors were identified: higher severity of COVID-19 infection, fatigue, COVID-19 related stigma and poor sleep quality. When designing psychological interventions to alleviate PTSD symptoms of COVID-19 survivors, reducing stigma and fatigue, and improve their sleep quality are suggested.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weijun Xiao
- School of Population Medicine and Public Health, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
| | - Xiaoyang Liu
- School of Population Medicine and Public Health, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
| | - Hao Wang
- School of Population Medicine and Public Health, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Yiman Huang
- School of Population Medicine and Public Health, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Zhenwei Dai
- School of Population Medicine and Public Health, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Mingyu Si
- School of Population Medicine and Public Health, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Jiaqi Fu
- School of Population Medicine and Public Health, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Xu Chen
- School of Population Medicine and Public Health, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Mengmeng Jia
- School of Population Medicine and Public Health, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Zhiwei Leng
- School of Population Medicine and Public Health, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Dan Cui
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, National Center for Respiratory Medicine, Center of Respiratory Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China; Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, The 2nd Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Winnie W S Mak
- Diversity and Well-Being Laboratory, Department of Psychology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong, China
| | - Xiaoyou Su
- School of Population Medicine and Public Health, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
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21
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Hegna E, Rački V, Hero M, Papić E, Rožmarić G, Radović K, Komen V, Bralić M, Škifić ML, Bonifačić D, Tomić Z, Perković O, Vuletić V. Post-COVID-19 Syndrome in Neurology Patients: A Single Center Experience. Pathogens 2023; 12:796. [PMID: 37375486 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12060796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2023] [Revised: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Our aim was to determine the frequency and characteristics of neurological post-COVID-19 syndrome and the diagnostic and therapeutic measures that were used for the treatment of these patients. Data were collected for 243 patients examined during the period of 11 May 2021 to 22 June 2022. The inclusion criteria were COVID-19 illness and neurological symptoms associated with COVID-19. The exclusion criteria were non-neurological symptoms, patients who did not suffer from COVID-19, and symptoms that occurred after vaccination against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Data for 227 patients with neurological post-COVID-19 symptoms were analyzed. Most patients presented with multiple symptoms, most often headache, cognitive impairment, loss of smell, paresthesia, fatigue, dizziness, and insomnia. Patients were most often referred for consultative examinations, neuroradiological imaging, and EEG. The therapy was mostly symptomatic. Most patients had no change in their symptoms on follow-up visits (53.21%), while positive outcome was found in 44.95% of patients. This study found that neurological post-COVID-19 syndrome appears to be more common in women, and generally, the most common symptoms are headache and cognitive impairment. The gender distribution of symptoms was clearly visible and should be further investigated. There is a need for longitudinal follow-up studies to better understand the disease dynamic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Hegna
- Department of Neurology, General Hospital Pula, 52100 Pula, Croatia
| | - Valentino Rački
- Department of Neurology, Clinical Hospital Center Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
| | - Mario Hero
- Department of Neurology, Clinical Hospital Center Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
| | - Eliša Papić
- Department of Neurology, Clinical Hospital Center Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
| | - Gloria Rožmarić
- Department of Neurology, Clinical Hospital Center Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
| | - Klara Radović
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University Hospital Center Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
| | - Vita Komen
- Department of Neurology, Clinical Hospital Center Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
| | - Marina Bralić
- Department of Neurology, Clinical Hospital Center Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
| | - Marina Legac Škifić
- Department of Neurology, Clinical Hospital Center Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
| | - David Bonifačić
- Department of Neurology, Clinical Hospital Center Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
| | - Zoran Tomić
- Department of Neurology, Clinical Hospital Center Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
| | - Olivio Perković
- Department of Neurology, Clinical Hospital Center Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
| | - Vladimira Vuletić
- Department of Neurology, Clinical Hospital Center Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
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22
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López-Cortés VA, Torres-Romero SB, Ciendúa-Chaparro JA, Pelayo-González H, Méndez-Balbuena I. COGNITIVE, NEUROLOGICAL, NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL AND NEUROPSYCHIATRIC ALTERATIONS IN POST-COVID-19 PATIENTS. ACTAS ESPANOLAS DE PSIQUIATRIA 2023; 51:88-97. [PMID: 37489554 PMCID: PMC10803853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023]
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes the COVID-19 disease, reports hundreds of infections daily, the alterations and sequelae of this new pathogen have been reported globally, due to the seriousness of being an older adult and evolving seriously.
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23
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Wahlgren C, Forsberg G, Divanoglou A, Östholm Balkhed Å, Niward K, Berg S, Levi R. Two-year follow-up of patients with post-COVID-19 condition in Sweden: a prospective cohort study. THE LANCET REGIONAL HEALTH. EUROPE 2023; 28:100595. [PMID: 36855599 PMCID: PMC9951394 DOI: 10.1016/j.lanepe.2023.100595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2022] [Revised: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Background Few studies have reported the long-term health effects of COVID-19. The regional population-based Linköping COVID-19 study (LinCoS) included all patients hospitalised due to COVID-19 during the first pandemic wave. Four months post-discharge, over 40% (185/433) experienced persisting symptoms and activity/participation limitations, indicating post-COVID-19 condition (PCC). The present follow-up study aimed to determine the long-term recovery among these patients 24 months post-admission. Methods This prospective cohort study included all patients from LinCoS with PCC at four months post-discharge. We repeated the same structured interview at a 24-month follow-up to identify persisting symptoms and their impact on daily life. Intercurrent health issues were identified by reviewing medical records. Findings Of 185 patients with PCC at 4 months post-discharge, 181 were alive at the 24-month assessment and 165 agreed to participate. Of those, 21% (35/165) had been readmitted to hospital for various causes in the interim period. The majority of patients (139/165, 84%) reported persisting problems affecting everyday life at 24 months. Significant improvements were seen in the prevalence and magnitude of some symptoms/limitations compared with four months post-discharge. Cognitive, sensorimotor, and fatigue symptoms were the most common persisting symptoms at 24 months. No clear difference was evident between individuals treated in the intensive care unit (ICU) and non-ICU-treated individuals. Approximately half of those who were on sick leave related to PCC at four months after infection were on sick leave at 24 months. Interpretation This is one of the first studies to report 2-year outcomes in patients with PCC following COVID-19 hospitalisation. Despite some improvements over time, we found a high prevalence of persisting symptoms and a need for long-term follow-up and rehabilitation post COVID-19 infection. Funding The study was funded by Region Östergötland.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carl Wahlgren
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine and Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Gustaf Forsberg
- Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery and Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Anestis Divanoglou
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine and Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Åse Östholm Balkhed
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Katarina Niward
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Sören Berg
- Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery and Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Richard Levi
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine and Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
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24
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Kim J, Young GS. Neuroimaging of COVID-19. Semin Neurol 2023; 43:205-218. [PMID: 37379850 DOI: 10.1055/s-0043-1767771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/30/2023]
Abstract
We review the wide variety of common neuroimaging manifestations related to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and COVID therapies, grouping the entities by likely pathophysiology, recognizing that the etiology of many entities remains uncertain. Direct viral invasion likely contributes to olfactory bulb abnormalities. COVID meningoencephalitis may represent direct viral infection and/or autoimmune inflammation. Para-infectious inflammation and inflammatory demyelination at the time of infection are likely primary contributors to acute necrotizing encephalopathy, cytotoxic lesion of the corpus callosum, and diffuse white matter abnormality. Later postinfectious inflammation and demyelination may manifest as acute demyelinating encephalomyelitis, Guillain-Barré syndrome, or transverse myelitis. The hallmark vascular inflammation and coagulopathy of COVID-19 may produce acute ischemic infarction, microinfarction contributing to white matter abnormality, space-occupying hemorrhage or microhemorrhage, venous thrombosis, and posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome. Adverse effects of therapies including zinc, chloroquine/hydroxychloroquine, antivirals, and vaccines, and current evidence regarding "long COVID" is briefly reviewed. Finally, we present a case of bacterial and fungal superinfection related to immune dysregulation from COVID.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jisoo Kim
- Division of Neuroradiology, Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School & Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Geoffrey S Young
- Division of Neuroradiology, Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School & Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
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25
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Heine J, Schwichtenberg K, Hartung TJ, Rekers S, Chien C, Boesl F, Rust R, Hohenfeld C, Bungenberg J, Costa AS, Scheibenbogen C, Bellmann-Strobl J, Paul F, Franke C, Reetz K, Finke C. Structural brain changes in patients with post-COVID fatigue: a prospective observational study. EClinicalMedicine 2023; 58:101874. [PMID: 36873426 PMCID: PMC9969172 DOI: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2023.101874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Revised: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Post-COVID syndrome is a severe long-term complication of COVID-19. Although fatigue and cognitive complaints are the most prominent symptoms, it is unclear whether they have structural correlates in the brain. We therefore explored the clinical characteristics of post-COVID fatigue, describe associated structural imaging changes, and determine what influences fatigue severity. METHODS We prospectively recruited 50 patients from neurological post-COVID outpatient clinics (age 18-69 years, 39f/8m) and matched non-COVID healthy controls between April 15 and December 31, 2021. Assessments included diffusion and volumetric MR imaging, neuropsychiatric, and cognitive testing. At 7.5 months (median, IQR 6.5-9.2) after the acute SARS-CoV-2 infection, moderate or severe fatigue was identified in 47/50 patients with post-COVID syndrome who were included in the analyses. As a clinical control group, we included 47 matched multiple sclerosis patients with fatigue. FINDINGS Our diffusion imaging analyses revealed aberrant fractional anisotropy of the thalamus. Diffusion markers correlated with fatigue severity, such as physical fatigue, fatigue-related impairment in everyday life (Bell score) and daytime sleepiness. Moreover, we observed shape deformations and decreased volumes of the left thalamus, putamen, and pallidum. These overlapped with the more extensive subcortical changes in MS and were associated with impaired short-term memory. While fatigue severity was not related to COVID-19 disease courses (6/47 hospitalised, 2/47 with ICU treatment), post-acute sleep quality and depressiveness emerged as associated factors and were accompanied by increased levels of anxiety and daytime sleepiness. INTERPRETATION Characteristic structural imaging changes of the thalamus and basal ganglia underlie the persistent fatigue experienced by patients with post-COVID syndrome. Evidence for pathological changes to these subcortical motor and cognitive hubs provides a key to the understanding of post-COVID fatigue and related neuropsychiatric complications. FUNDING Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) and German Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).
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Affiliation(s)
- Josephine Heine
- Department of Neurology, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Katia Schwichtenberg
- Department of Neurology, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Tim J. Hartung
- Department of Neurology, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sophia Rekers
- Department of Neurology, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin School of Mind and Brain, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Claudia Chien
- Experimental and Clinical Research Center, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health and Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
- NeuroCure Clinical Research Center (NCRC), Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Berlin, Germany
| | - Fabian Boesl
- Department of Neurology, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Rebekka Rust
- Experimental and Clinical Research Center, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health and Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Christian Hohenfeld
- Department of Neurology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- JARA Brain Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging (INM-11), Research Centre Jülich and RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Julia Bungenberg
- Department of Neurology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- JARA Brain Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging (INM-11), Research Centre Jülich and RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Ana S. Costa
- Department of Neurology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- JARA Brain Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging (INM-11), Research Centre Jülich and RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Carmen Scheibenbogen
- Institute for Medical Immunology, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Judith Bellmann-Strobl
- Experimental and Clinical Research Center, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health and Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Friedemann Paul
- Experimental and Clinical Research Center, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health and Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
- NeuroCure Clinical Research Center (NCRC), Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Berlin, Germany
| | - Christiana Franke
- Department of Neurology, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Kathrin Reetz
- Department of Neurology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- JARA Brain Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging (INM-11), Research Centre Jülich and RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Carsten Finke
- Department of Neurology, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin Center for Advanced Neuroimaging, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Corresponding author. Department of Neurology, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, Berlin 10117, Germany.
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Kumar PR, Shilpa B, Jha RK. Brain Disorders: Impact of Mild SARS-CoV-2 May Shrink Several Parts of the Brain. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 149:105150. [PMID: 37004892 PMCID: PMC10063523 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Revised: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
Abstract
Coronavirus (COVID-19) is a highly infectious respiratory infection discovered in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. As a result of the pandemic, several individuals have experienced life-threatening diseases, the loss of loved ones, lockdowns, isolation, an increase in unemployment, and household conflict. Moreover, COVID-19 may cause direct brain injury via encephalopathy. The long-term impacts of this virus on mental health and brain function need to be analysed by researchers in the coming years. This article aims to describe the prolonged neurological clinical consequences related to brain changes in people with mild COVID-19 infection. When compared to a control group, people those who tested positive for COVID-19 had more brain shrinkage, grey matter shrinkage, and tissue damage. The damage occurs predominantly in areas of the brain that are associated with odour, ambiguity, strokes, reduced attention, headaches, sensory abnormalities, depression, and mental abilities for few months after the first infection. Therefore, in patients after a severe clinical condition of COVID-19, a deepening of persistent neurological signs is necessary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Puranam Revanth Kumar
- Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, IcfaiTech (Faculty of Science and Technology), IFHE University, Hyderabad, India
| | - B Shilpa
- Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, IcfaiTech (Faculty of Science and Technology), IFHE University, Hyderabad, India
| | - Rajesh Kumar Jha
- Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, IcfaiTech (Faculty of Science and Technology), IFHE University, Hyderabad, India
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27
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Paolini M, Palladini M, Mazza MG, Colombo F, Vai B, Rovere-Querini P, Falini A, Poletti S, Benedetti F. Brain correlates of subjective cognitive complaints in COVID-19 survivors: A multimodal magnetic resonance imaging study. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2023; 68:1-10. [PMID: 36640728 PMCID: PMC9742225 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2022.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Revised: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive impairment represents a leading residual symptom of COVID-19 infection, which lasts for months after the virus clearance. Up-to-date scientific reports documented a wide spectrum of brain changes in COVID-19 survivors following the illness's resolution, mainly related to neurological and neuropsychiatric consequences. Preliminary insights suggest abnormal brain metabolism, microstructure, and functionality as neural under-layer of post-acute cognitive dysfunction. While previous works focused on brain correlates of impaired cognition as objectively assessed, herein we investigated long-term neural correlates of subjective cognitive decline in a sample of 58 COVID-19 survivors with a multimodal imaging approach. Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) analyses revealed widespread white matter disruption in the sub-group of cognitive complainers compared to the non-complainer one, as indexed by increased axial, radial, and mean diffusivity in several commissural, projection and associative fibres. Likewise, the Multivoxel Pattern Connectivity analysis (MVPA) revealed highly discriminant patterns of functional connectivity in resting-state among the two groups in the right frontal pole and in the middle temporal gyrus, suggestive of inefficient dynamic modulation of frontal brain activity and possible metacognitive dysfunction at rest. Beyond COVID-19 actual pathophysiological brain processes, our findings point toward brain connectome disruption conceivably translating into clinical post-COVID cognitive symptomatology. Our results could pave the way for a potential brain signature of cognitive complaints experienced by COVID-19 survivors, possibly leading to identify early therapeutic targets and thus mitigating its detrimental long-term impact on quality of life in the post-COVID-19 stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Paolini
- Psychiatry & Clinical Psychobiology, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS Scientific Institute Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, Italy; Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy; PhD Program in Molecular Medicine, University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Mariagrazia Palladini
- Psychiatry & Clinical Psychobiology, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS Scientific Institute Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, Italy; Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy; PhD Program in Cognitive Neuroscience, University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy.
| | - Mario Gennaro Mazza
- Psychiatry & Clinical Psychobiology, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS Scientific Institute Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, Italy; Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy; PhD Program in Cognitive Neuroscience, University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Federica Colombo
- Psychiatry & Clinical Psychobiology, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS Scientific Institute Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, Italy; Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy; PhD Program in Cognitive Neuroscience, University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Benedetta Vai
- Psychiatry & Clinical Psychobiology, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS Scientific Institute Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, Italy; Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Patrizia Rovere-Querini
- Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy; Division of Immunology, Transplantation and Infectious Diseases, IRCCS Scientific Institute Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Andrea Falini
- Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy; Department of Neuroradiology, IRCCS Scientific Institute Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Sara Poletti
- Psychiatry & Clinical Psychobiology, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS Scientific Institute Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, Italy; Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesco Benedetti
- Psychiatry & Clinical Psychobiology, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS Scientific Institute Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, Italy; Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
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28
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Crook H, Ramirez A, Hosseini AA, Vavougyios G, Lehmann C, Bruchfeld J, Schneider A, d'Avossa G, Lo Re V, Salmoiraghi A, Mukaetova-Ladinska E, Katshu M, Boneschi FM, Håkansson K, Geerlings M, Pracht E, Ruiz A, Jansen JF, Snyder H, Kivipelto M, Edison P. European Working Group on SARS-CoV-2: Current Understanding, Unknowns, and Recommendations on the Neurological Complications of COVID-19. Brain Connect 2023; 13:178-210. [PMID: 36719785 DOI: 10.1089/brain.2022.0058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The emergence of COVID-19 was rapidly followed by infection and the deaths of millions of people across the globe. With much of the research and scientific advancement rightly focused on reducing the burden of severe and critical acute COVID-19 infection, the long-term effects endured by those who survived the acute infection has been previously overlooked. Now, an appreciation for the post-COVID-19 condition, including its neurological manifestations, is growing, although there remain many unknowns regarding the aetiology and risk factors of the condition, as well as how to effectively diagnose and treat it. Here, drawing upon the experiences and expertise of the clinicians and academics of the European working group on COVID-19, we have reviewed the current literature to provide a comprehensive overview of the neurological sequalae of the post-COVID-19 condition. In this review, we provide a summary of the neurological symptoms associated with the post-COVID-19 condition, before discussing the possible mechanisms which may underly and manifest these symptoms. Following this, we explore the risk factors for developing neurological symptoms as a result of COVID-19 and the post-COVID-19 condition, as well as how COVID-19 infection may itself be a risk factor for the development of neurological disease in the future. Lastly, we evaluate how the post-COVID condition could be accurately diagnosed and effectively treated, including examples of the current guidelines, clinical outcomes and tools that have been developed to aid in this process, as well as addressing the protection provided by COVID-19 vaccines against post-COVID-19 condition. Overall, this review provides a comprehensive overview of the neurological sequalae of the post-COVID-19 condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harry Crook
- Imperial College London, 4615, Brain Sciences, London, London, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland;
| | - Alfredo Ramirez
- University of Cologne, 14309, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Koln, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
- University of Bonn, 9374, Department of Neurodegenerative diseases and Geriatric Psychiatry, Bonn, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Psychiatry , San Antonio, Texas, United States
- German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases, 172279, Bonn, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany;
| | - Akram A Hosseini
- Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, 9820, Department of Neurology, Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland;
| | - Georgios Vavougyios
- University of Cyprus, 54557, Department of Neurology, Nicosia, Nicosia, Cyprus;
| | - Clara Lehmann
- University of Cologne, 14309, Department of Internal Medicine, Koln, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
- University of Cologne, 14309, Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), Koln, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
- German Centre for Infection Research, 459706, Braunschweig, Niedersachsen, Germany;
| | - Judith Bruchfeld
- Karolinska University Hospital, 59562, Department of Infectious Diseases, Stockholm, Sweden;
| | - Anja Schneider
- University Hospital Bonn, 39062, Department of Neurodegenerative diseases and Geriatric Psychiatry, Bonn, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
- German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases, 172279, Bonn, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany;
| | - Giovanni d'Avossa
- Bangor University, 1506, School of Psychology, Bangor, Gwynedd, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland;
| | | | - Alberto Salmoiraghi
- Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, 1507, Bangor, Gwynedd, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- Glyndwr University, 8725, Wrexham, Clwyd, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland;
| | - Elizabeta Mukaetova-Ladinska
- University of Leicester, 4488, Neuroscience, Psychology and Behaviour, University Road, Leicester, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, LE1 7RH;
| | - Mohammad Katshu
- University of Nottingham, 6123, School of Medicine, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland;
| | - Filippo M Boneschi
- University of Milan, 9304, Division of Neuroscience and INSPE, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milano, Lombardia, Italy;
| | - Krister Håkansson
- Karolinska Institute, 27106, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden;
| | - Mirjam Geerlings
- Utrecht University, 8125, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands;
| | - Elisabeth Pracht
- University of Cologne, 14309, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Koln, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany;
| | - Agustín Ruiz
- Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, 16760, Institut Català de Neurociències Aplicades, Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain;
| | - Jacobus Fa Jansen
- Maastricht University Medical Centre+, 199236, Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Maastricht, Limburg, Netherlands;
| | - Heather Snyder
- Alzheimer's Association, 44027, Chicago, Illinois, United States;
| | - Miia Kivipelto
- Karolinska Institute, 27106, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden;
| | - Paul Edison
- Imperial College London, 4615, Brain Sciences, Neurology Imaging Unit, 1st Floor, B - Block, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, SW7 2AZ;
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Diana L, Regazzoni R, Sozzi M, Piconi S, Borghesi L, Lazzaroni E, Basilico P, Aliprandi A, Bolognini N, Bonardi DR, Colombo D, Salmaggi A. Monitoring cognitive and psychological alterations in COVID-19 patients: A longitudinal neuropsychological study. J Neurol Sci 2023; 444:120511. [PMID: 36473347 PMCID: PMC9707027 DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2022.120511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Revised: 11/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND SARS-COV-2 infection has been associated to long-lasting neuropsychiatric sequelae, including cognitive deficits, that persist after one year. However, longitudinal monitoring has been scarcely performed. Here, in a sample of COVID-19 patients, we monitor cognitive, psychological and quality of life-related profiles up to 22 months from resolution of respiratory disease. METHODS Out of 657 COVID-19 patients screened at Manzoni Hospital (Lecco, Italy), 22 underwent neuropsychological testing because of subjective cognitive disturbances at 6 months, 16 months, and 22 months. Tests of memory, attention, and executive functions were administered, along with questionnaires for depressive and Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, psychological well-being and quality of life. Cross-sectional descriptives, correlational, as well as longitudinal analyses considering COVID19-severity were carried out. A preliminary comparison with a sample of obstructive sleep apneas patients was also performed. RESULTS Around 50% of COVID-19 patients presented with cognitive deficits at t0. The most affected domain was verbal memory. Pathological scores diminished over time, but a high rate of borderline scores was still observable. Longitudinal analyses highlighted improvements in verbal and non-verbal long term memory, as well as attention, and executive functioning. Depression and PTSD-related symptoms were present in 30% of patients. The latter decreased over time and were associated to attentional-executive performance. CONCLUSIONS Cognitive dysfunctions in COVID-19 patients may extend over 1 year, yet showing a significant recovery in several cases. Cognitive alterations are accompanied by a significant psychological distress. Many patients displaying borderline scores, especially those at higher risk of dementia, deserve clinical monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenzo Diana
- Neurology Unit, Ospedale "A. Manzoni", Lecco, Italy; Neuropsychology Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Matteo Sozzi
- Neurology Unit, Ospedale "A. Manzoni", Lecco, Italy
| | - Stefania Piconi
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Ospedale "A. Manzoni", Lecco, Italy
| | - Luca Borghesi
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Ospedale "A. Manzoni", Lecco, Italy
| | - Elisa Lazzaroni
- Department of Mental Health, Ospedale "A. Manzoni", Lecco, Italy
| | | | | | - Nadia Bolognini
- Neuropsychology Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy; Department of Psychology and NeuroMI, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Daniela R Bonardi
- Respiratory Unit, IRCCS INRCA (Italian National Research Centre On Aging), Casatenovo, Italy
| | - Daniele Colombo
- Respiratory Unit, IRCCS INRCA (Italian National Research Centre On Aging), Casatenovo, Italy
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30
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Fatigue and perceived fatigability, not objective fatigability, are prevalent in people with post-COVID-19. Exp Brain Res 2023; 241:211-219. [PMID: 36462035 PMCID: PMC9735153 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-022-06518-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Persistent symptoms after acute COVID-19 infection, termed post-COVID-19 fatigue, occur in 44-70% of patients. Characterizing fatigue in this population is vital to determine the etiology of post-COVID-19 fatigue symptoms and to assess the effectiveness of potential interventions. The purpose of this study was to assess differences in perceived and objective fatigability between people with post-COVID-19 symptoms (N = 29, 20 females) and people who had COVID-19 but are not experiencing persistent symptoms (N = 20, 12 females). Perceived fatigability, fatigue, pain, and quality of life were assessed with the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), Fatigue Assessment Scale (FAS), Visual Analog Scale for Pain (VAS), and the EQ-5D-5L, respectively. Objective fatigability was evaluated with torque and work fatigue indices (FI-T and FI-W), calculated via an isokinetic fatigue task. The results revealed that, the subjects with post-COVID-19 symptoms had significantly higher FAS (p < 0.01), FSS (p < 0.01), VAS (p < 0.01), and EQ-5D-5L VAS (p < 0.01) scores compared to subjects without post-COVID-19 symptoms, indicating greater fatigue and perceived fatigability, increased pain, and worse quality of life. However, there were no differences between the two groups for the FI-Ts (all p ≥ 0.07) or FI-W (all p ≥ 0.08), indicating no differences in objective fatigability. This study found that people with post-COVID-19 symptoms have increased fatigue and perceived fatigability, but not objective fatigability, compared to subjects without post-COVID-19 symptoms.
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31
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Cognitive Deficits among Individuals Admitted to a Post-Acute Pneumological Rehabilitation Unit in Southern Italy after COVID-19 Infection. Brain Sci 2023; 13:brainsci13010084. [PMID: 36672066 PMCID: PMC9857316 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13010084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: We investigated the differences in the neuropsychological profile as well as the pneumological and motor functions in two groups of patients admitted to rehabilitation who received different respiratory support during their COVID-19 infection. (2) Methods: Group-1 (n = 18; 15 male, median age 67.5) consisted of patients who received non-invasive mechanical ventilation; Group-2 (n = 19; 16 male, median age 63) consisted of patients who received invasive mechanical ventilation. All patients underwent a neuropsychological assessment including Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB), and the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (R-BANS) to evaluate the patients' cognition. Depression and anxiety were also measured at admission and discharge to rehabilitation. (3) Results: At admission, patients impaired at MMSE were 44% in Group-1 and 5% in Group-2, while patients impaired at FAB were 88% in Group-1 and 26% in Group-2. Wilcoxon's effect size revealed meaningful differences between groups for FAB, R-BANS global score, immediate and delayed memory, and attention-coding task, with Group-2 performing better than Group-1 across all measures. At discharge, 52% of the 25 patients re-assessed still had mild to moderate cognitive deficits, while 19% had depression and 35% had anxiety. (4) Conclusions: Patients who received oxygen therapy experienced higher levels of acute and chronic stress compared to those who benefitted from invasive mechanical ventilation. Despite patients showing a meaningful improvement at discharge, cognitive impairment persisted in a great number of patients; therefore, long-term neuropsychological follow-up and treatment for COVID-19 patients are recommended.
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Eligulashvili A, Darrell M, Miller C, Lee J, Congdon S, Lee JS, Hsu K, Yee J, Hou W, Islam M, Duong TQ. COVID-19 Patients in the COVID-19 Recovery and Engagement (CORE) Clinics in the Bronx. Diagnostics (Basel) 2022; 13:diagnostics13010119. [PMID: 36611411 PMCID: PMC9818274 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics13010119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Revised: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Early in the pandemic, we established COVID-19 Recovery and Engagement (CORE) Clinics in the Bronx and implemented a detailed evaluation protocol to assess physical, emotional, and cognitive function, pulmonary function tests, and imaging for COVID-19 survivors. Here, we report our findings up to five months post-acute COVID-19. Methods: Main outcomes and measures included pulmonary function tests, imaging tests, and a battery of symptom, physical, emotional, and cognitive assessments 5 months post-acute COVID-19. Findings: Dyspnea, fatigue, decreased exercise tolerance, brain fog, and shortness of breath were the most common symptoms but there were generally no significant differences between hospitalized and non-hospitalized cohorts (p > 0.05). Many patients had abnormal physical, emotional, and cognitive scores, but most functioned independently; there were no significant differences between hospitalized and non-hospitalized cohorts (p > 0.05). Six-minute walk tests, lung ultrasound, and diaphragm excursion were abnormal but only in the hospitalized cohort. Pulmonary function tests showed moderately restrictive pulmonary function only in the hospitalized cohort but no obstructive pulmonary function. Newly detected major neurological events, microvascular disease, atrophy, and white-matter changes were rare, but lung opacity and fibrosis-like findings were common after acute COVID-19. Interpretation: Many COVID-19 survivors experienced moderately restrictive pulmonary function, and significant symptoms across the physical, emotional, and cognitive health domains. Newly detected brain imaging abnormalities were rare, but lung imaging abnormalities were common. This study provides insights into post-acute sequelae following SARS-CoV-2 infection in neurological and pulmonary systems which may be used to support at-risk patients and develop effective screening methods and interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Eligulashvili
- Department of Radiology, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Megan Darrell
- Department of Radiology, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Carolyn Miller
- Department of Radiology, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Jeylin Lee
- Department of Radiology, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Seth Congdon
- Department of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Jimmy S. Lee
- Department of Radiology, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Kevin Hsu
- Department of Radiology, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Judy Yee
- Department of Radiology, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Wei Hou
- Department of Family, Population and Preventive Medicine, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Marjan Islam
- Department of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Tim Q. Duong
- Department of Radiology, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
- Correspondence:
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Perrottelli A, Sansone N, Giordano GM, Caporusso E, Giuliani L, Melillo A, Pezzella P, Bucci P, Mucci A, Galderisi S. Cognitive Impairment after Post-Acute COVID-19 Infection: A Systematic Review of the Literature. J Pers Med 2022; 12:2070. [PMID: 36556290 PMCID: PMC9781311 DOI: 10.3390/jpm12122070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The present study aims to provide a critical overview of the literature on the relationships between post-acute COVID-19 infection and cognitive impairment, highlighting the limitations and confounding factors. A systematic search of articles published from 1 January 2020 to 1 July 2022 was performed in PubMed/Medline. We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Only studies using validated instruments for the assessment of cognitive impairment were included. Out of 5515 screened records, 72 studies met the inclusion criteria. The available evidence revealed the presence of impairment in executive functions, speed of processing, attention and memory in subjects recovered from COVID-19. However, several limitations of the literature reviewed should be highlighted: most studies were performed on small samples, not stratified by severity of disease and age, used as a cross-sectional or a short-term longitudinal design and provided a limited assessment of the different cognitive domains. Few studies investigated the neurobiological correlates of cognitive deficits in individuals recovered from COVID-19. Further studies with an adequate methodological design are needed for an in-depth characterization of cognitive impairment in individuals recovered from COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Giulia Maria Giordano
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Largo Madonna delle Grazie, 80138 Naples, Italy
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Shan D, Li S, Xu R, Nie G, Xie Y, Han J, Gao X, Zheng Y, Xu Z, Dai Z. Post-COVID-19 human memory impairment: A PRISMA-based systematic review of evidence from brain imaging studies. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:1077384. [PMID: 36570532 PMCID: PMC9780393 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.1077384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Many people with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) report varying degrees of memory impairment. Neuroimaging techniques such as MRI and PET have been utilized to shed light on how COVID-19 affects brain function in humans, including memory dysfunction. In this PRISMA-based systematic review, we compared and summarized the current literature looking at the relationship between COVID-19-induced neuropathological changes by neuroimaging scans and memory symptoms experienced by patients who recovered from COVID-19. Overall, this review suggests a correlational trend between structural abnormalities (e.g., cortical atrophy and white matter hyperintensities) or functional abnormalities (e.g., hypometabolism) in a wide range of brain regions (particularly in the frontal, parietal and temporal regions) and memory impairments in COVID-19 survivors, although a causal relationship between them remains elusive in the absence of sufficient caution. Further longitudinal investigations, particularly controlled studies combined with correlational analyses, are needed to provide additional evidence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Shan
- Department of Biobehavioral Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Shaoyang Li
- Faculty of Science, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Ruichen Xu
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Glen Nie
- Department of Biological Science, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Yangyiran Xie
- School of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Junchu Han
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, Global Psychiatric Epidemiology Group, New York, NY, United States
| | - Xiaoyi Gao
- School of Medicine, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Yuandian Zheng
- Department of Biobehavioral Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Zhen Xu
- Minhang Crosspoint Academy at Shanghai Wenqi Middle School, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhihao Dai
- School of Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland
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Almgren J, Löfström E, Malmborg JS, Nygren J, Undén J, Larsson I. Patients' Health Experiences of Post COVID-19 Condition-A Qualitative Study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:13980. [PMID: 36360860 PMCID: PMC9656359 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192113980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Revised: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Patients who suffer from long-term symptoms of COVID-19, described as post COVID-19 condition, are a new and large group of patients. There is a lack of knowledge concerning health experiences in this patient group. The aim of this study was to explore patients' health experiences of post COVID-19 condition. Data collection was performed through 14 semi-structured interviews. The qualitative content analysis resulted in six sub-categories, three categories, and an overall theme. Patients experienced symptoms of varying duration-ranging from 5-21 months. The results showed that patients' health experiences of post COVID-19 condition moved between uncertainty and new insights. This was shown by patients experiencing: (1) loss of abilities, including losing smell and taste and lacking energy, (2) loss of control, including being foreign to oneself and seeking answers, and (3) revaluation of life, including accepting the transformed body and prioritizing health. This study illustrates that patients living with post COVID-19 condition need to be treated with flexibility, based on each individual's unique challenges and experiences of the symptoms and the consequences for their health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna Almgren
- School of Health and Welfare, Halmstad University, P.O. Box 823, SE-301 18 Halmstad, Sweden
| | - Emma Löfström
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Hallands Hospital Halmstad, SE-301 85 Halmstad, Sweden
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, P.O. Box 117, SE-221 00 Lund, Sweden
| | - Julia S Malmborg
- School of Health and Welfare, Halmstad University, P.O. Box 823, SE-301 18 Halmstad, Sweden
| | - Jens Nygren
- School of Health and Welfare, Halmstad University, P.O. Box 823, SE-301 18 Halmstad, Sweden
| | - Johan Undén
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, P.O. Box 117, SE-221 00 Lund, Sweden
- Department of Operation and Intensive Care, Hallands Hospital Halmstad, SE-301 85 Halmstad, Sweden
| | - Ingrid Larsson
- School of Health and Welfare, Halmstad University, P.O. Box 823, SE-301 18 Halmstad, Sweden
- Spenshult Research and Development Centre, SE-302 74 Halmstad, Sweden
- Section of Rheumatology, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, P.O. Box 117, SE-221 00 Lund, Sweden
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Maranduca MA, Tanase DM, Cozma CT, Dima N, Clim A, Pinzariu AC, Serban DN, Serban IL. The Impact of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme-2/Angiotensin 1-7 Axis in Establishing Severe COVID-19 Consequences. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14091906. [PMID: 36145655 PMCID: PMC9505151 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14091906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2022] [Revised: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has put a tremendous stress on the medical community over the last two years. Managing the infection proved a lot more difficult after several research communities started to recognize the long-term effects of this disease. The cellular receptor for the virus was identified as angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE2), a molecule responsible for a wide array of processes, broadly variable amongst different organs. Angiotensin (Ang) 1-7 is the product of Ang II, a decaying reaction catalysed by ACE2. The effects observed after altering the level of ACE2 are essentially related to the variation of Ang 1-7. The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) is comprised of two main branches, with ACE2 representing a crucial component of the protective part of the complex. The ACE2/Ang (1-7) axis is well represented in the testis, heart, brain, kidney, and intestine. Infection with the novel SARS-CoV-2 virus determines downregulation of ACE2 and interrupts the equilibrium between ACE and ACE2 in these organs. In this review, we highlight the link between the local effects of RAAS and the consequences of COVID-19 infection as they arise from observational studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minela Aida Maranduca
- Internal Medicine Clinic, “St. Spiridon” County Clinical Emergency Hospital, 700115 Iasi, Romania
- Department of Morpho-Functional Sciences II, Discipline of Physiology, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iasi, Romania
| | - Daniela Maria Tanase
- Internal Medicine Clinic, “St. Spiridon” County Clinical Emergency Hospital, 700115 Iasi, Romania
- Department of Internal Medicine, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iasi, Romania
| | - Cristian Tudor Cozma
- Department of Morpho-Functional Sciences II, Discipline of Physiology, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iasi, Romania
- Correspondence:
| | - Nicoleta Dima
- Internal Medicine Clinic, “St. Spiridon” County Clinical Emergency Hospital, 700115 Iasi, Romania
- Department of Internal Medicine, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iasi, Romania
| | - Andreea Clim
- Department of Morpho-Functional Sciences II, Discipline of Physiology, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iasi, Romania
| | - Alin Constantin Pinzariu
- Department of Morpho-Functional Sciences II, Discipline of Physiology, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iasi, Romania
| | - Dragomir Nicolae Serban
- Department of Morpho-Functional Sciences II, Discipline of Physiology, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iasi, Romania
| | - Ionela Lacramioara Serban
- Department of Morpho-Functional Sciences II, Discipline of Physiology, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iasi, Romania
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Bower JE, Radin A, Kuhlman KR. Psychoneuroimmunology in the time of COVID-19: Why neuro-immune interactions matter for mental and physical health. Behav Res Ther 2022; 154:104104. [PMID: 35609375 PMCID: PMC9075982 DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2022.104104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
The brain and immune system are intricately connected, and perturbations in one system have direct effects on the other. This review focuses on these dynamic psychoneuroimmune interactions and their implications for mental and physical health in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, we describe how psychological states influence antiviral immunity and the vaccine response, and how immune changes triggered by COVID (either via infection with SARS-CoV-2 or associated stressors) can influence the brain with effects on cognition, emotion, and behavior. We consider negative psychological states, which have been the primary focus of psychological research in the context of COVID-19 (and psychoneuroimmunology more generally). We also consider positive psychological states, including positive affect and eudaimonic well-being, given increasing evidence for their importance as modulators of immunity. We finish with a discussion of interventions that may be effective in improving immune function, the neuro-immune axis, and ultimately, mental and physical health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julienne E Bower
- Department of Psychology, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Arielle Radin
- Department of Psychology, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Kate R Kuhlman
- Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Psychological Science, UCI, Irvine, CA, USA
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Crivelli L, Palmer K, Calandri I, Guekht A, Beghi E, Carroll W, Frontera J, García-Azorín D, Westenberg E, Winkler AS, Mangialasche F, Allegri RF, Kivipelto M. Changes in cognitive functioning after COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Alzheimers Dement 2022; 18:1047-1066. [PMID: 35297561 PMCID: PMC9073922 DOI: 10.1002/alz.12644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 149] [Impact Index Per Article: 74.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2021] [Revised: 02/01/2022] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Introduction We conducted a systematic review and meta‐analysis of the cognitive effects of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) in adults with no prior history of cognitive impairment. Methods Searches in Medline/Web of Science/Embase from January 1, 2020, to December 13, 2021, were performed following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. A meta‐analysis of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) total score comparing recovered COVID‐19 and healthy controls was performed. Results Oof 6202 articles, 27 studies with 2049 individuals were included (mean age = 56.05 years, evaluation time ranged from the acute phase to 7 months post‐infection). Impairment in executive functions, attention, and memory were found in post‐COVID‐19 patients. The meta‐analysis was performed with a subgroup of 290 individuals and showed a difference in MoCA score between post‐COVID‐19 patients versus controls (mean difference = −0.94, 95% confidence interval [CI] −1.59, −0.29; P = .0049). Discussion Patients recovered from COVID‐19 have lower general cognition compared to healthy controls up to 7 months post‐infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Crivelli
- Department of Cognitive Neurology, Fleni, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Katie Palmer
- Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,FINGERS Brain Health Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ismael Calandri
- Department of Cognitive Neurology, Fleni, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Alla Guekht
- Moscow Research and Clinical Center for Neuropsychiatry, Russia, and Pirogov Russian National Research University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Ettore Beghi
- Department of Neuroscience, Instituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - William Carroll
- Department of Neurology, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital and Center for Neuromuscular and Neurological Disorders Perron Institute, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Jennifer Frontera
- Department of Neurology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - David García-Azorín
- Department of Neurology, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Erica Westenberg
- Department of Neurology, Center for Global Health, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Andrea Sylvia Winkler
- Department of Neurology, Center for Global Health, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany and Centre for Global Health, Institute of Health and Society, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Francesca Mangialasche
- Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,FINGERS Brain Health Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ricardo F Allegri
- Department of Cognitive Neurology, Fleni, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Department of Neurosciences, Universidad de la Costa, Barranquilla, Colombia
| | - Miia Kivipelto
- Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,FINGERS Brain Health Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.,Medical Unit Aging, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.,Ageing Epidemiology (AGE) Research Unit, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.,Institute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition and Institute of Clinical Medicine, Neurology, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
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Huang Y, Ling Q, Manyande A, Wu D, Xiang B. Brain Imaging Changes in Patients Recovered From COVID-19: A Narrative Review. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:855868. [PMID: 35527821 PMCID: PMC9072792 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.855868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused several outbreaks of highly contagious respiratory diseases worldwide. The respiratory symptoms of Coronavirus Disease-19 (COVID-19) have been closely monitored and studied, while the central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral system (PNS) lesions induced by COVID-19 have not received much attention. Currently, patients with COVID-19-associated encephalopathy present with dizziness, headache, anxiety and depression, stroke, epileptic seizures, the Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS), and demyelinating disease. The exact pathologic basis for these neurological symptoms is currently not known. Rapid mutation of the SARS-CoV-2 genome leads to the appearance of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs), which have higher infectivity and virulence. Therefore, this narrative review will focus on the imaging assessment of COVID-19 and its VOC. There has been an increase in technologies, such as [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (18F-FDG-PET) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), that have been used to observe changes in brain microstructure over time in patients with COVID-19 recovery. Medical imaging and pathological approaches aimed at exploring the associations between COVID-19 and its VOC, with cranial nerve and abnormal nerve discharge will shed light on the rehabilitation process of brain microstructural changes related to SARS-CoV-2, and aid future research in our understanding of the treatment and prognosis of COVID-19 encephalopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Huang
- Department of Interventional Therapy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Qiong Ling
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Anne Manyande
- School of Human and Social Sciences, University of West London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Duozhi Wu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Hainan general Hospital, Haikou, China
- *Correspondence: Duozhi Wu,
| | - Boqi Xiang
- School of Public Health, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, United States
- Boqi Xiang,
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40
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Neuropsychological Outcomes in Adult Patients and Survivors of COVID-19. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11040465. [PMID: 35456140 PMCID: PMC9025655 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11040465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Revised: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is believed to affect central nervous system functions through various indirect, and possibly direct, mechanisms. We are only now beginning to understand the possible effects of the virus on human cognition. This review summarizes extant yet limited literature on clinical neuropsychological findings in adult coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients and survivors. Neuropsychological outcomes were often in the form of cognitive screen results, although various studies administered comprehensive batteries. With respect to screens, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment appeared relatively sensitive to cognitive dysfunction associated with COVID-19. Patients and survivors presented with weaknesses on screens and comprehensive batteries, although the pattern of these weaknesses was not specific to etiology. Broadly, weaknesses were suggestive of executive dysfunction, although more than one study did not detect significant impairment. Weaknesses should be interpreted cautiously due to potential confounds/contributing factors (weaknesses may partly reflect psychiatric sequelae; weaknesses may be over-interpreted due to inadequate assessment of premorbid functioning). Studies reported different approaches in defining impairment, likely contributing to variable findings. The current review discusses ongoing efforts to harmonize approaches to evaluating neuropsychological functioning globally, as well as emphasizes taking a comprehensive approach towards understanding how the disease affects cognition.
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Andrenelli E, Negrini F, de Sire A, Lazzarini SG, Patrini M, Ceravolo MG. Rehabilitation and COVID-19: update of the rapid living systematic review by Cochrane Rehabilitation Field as of October 31st, 2021. Eur J Phys Rehabil Med 2022; 58:153-156. [PMID: 35229570 PMCID: PMC9980579 DOI: 10.23736/s1973-9087.22.07434-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Andrenelli
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Marche Polytechnic University, Ancona, Italy
| | | | - Alessandro de Sire
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Magna Graecia University, Catanzaro, Italy -
| | | | | | - Maria G Ceravolo
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Marche Polytechnic University, Ancona, Italy
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Wahlgren C, Divanoglou A, Larsson M, Nilsson E, Östholm Balkhed Å, Niward K, Birberg Thornberg U, Lilliecreutz Gudmundsson E, Levi R. Rehabilitation needs following COVID-19: Five-month post-discharge clinical follow-up of individuals with concerning self-reported symptoms. EClinicalMedicine 2022; 43:101219. [PMID: 34901798 PMCID: PMC8645256 DOI: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2021.101219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Revised: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND This report describes and objectivizes reported problems among a cohort of previously hospitalized COVID-19 patients by clinical examination and determination of the required level of rehabilitation sevices. METHODS This report forms part of the Linköping COVID-19 Study (LinCoS) that included 745 individuals from one of 21 Swedish healthcare regions, Region Östergötland (RÖ), admitted to hospital for COVID-19 during March 1st-May 31st, 2020. In this descriptive ambidirectional cohort study, all 185 individuals who had reported concerning persisting symptoms were invited to a multi-professional clinical assessment of somatic, functional, affective, neuropsychological status and rehabilitation needs. Rehabilitation needs were assessed using three sub-scales of the Rehabilitation Complexity Scale-Extended. FINDINGS Among the 158 (85·4%) cases consenting and included in the analysis, we found a broad array of symptoms and signs attributable to COVID-19 involving respiratory, visual, auditory, motor, sensory and cognitive functions that could be confirmed clinically at five months post-discharge. This translated into 16% [95% CI 13-20] of survivors (70/433) of the total regional cohort of hospitalised patients requiring further rehabilitative interventions at follow-up. Weakness in extremities was reported in 28·5% [21·6, 36·2] (45/158). On examination, clinically overt muscle weakness could be corroborated in 15 individuals (10·5%) [6·1, 16·4]. 48% [40, 56] (76/158) reported cognitive symptoms, while the physician noted overt cognitive impairments in only 3% [1·1, 7·5]. In neuropsychological testing, 37% [28-46] (45/122) performed 1.5 SD below the norm, indicating neurocognitive deficits. Fifty-five individuals (34·8%) [27·4, 42·8] reported new or aggravated pain. In three fourths of them, it exerted a 'moderate' or worse detrimental effect on their ability to work. INTERPRETATION Our study underscores the importance of providing extensive examination of cases with persisting problems after COVID-19, especially since symptoms such as fatigue and breathlessness are highly nonspecific, but may represent significant underlying functional impairments. Robust neurocognitive testing should be performed, as cognitive problems may easily be overlooked during routine medical consultation. In the Swedish context, most rehabilitative interventions could be provided in a primary care setting. A substantial minority of patients should be triaged to specialized rehabilitation services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carl Wahlgren
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine and Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping S-58185, Sweden
| | - Anestis Divanoglou
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine and Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping S-58185, Sweden
| | - Melanie Larsson
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine and Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping S-58185, Sweden
| | - Emma Nilsson
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine and Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping S-58185, Sweden
| | - Åse Östholm Balkhed
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping S-58185, Sweden
| | - Katarina Niward
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping S-58185, Sweden
| | - Ulrika Birberg Thornberg
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine and Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping S-58185, Sweden
| | - Eva Lilliecreutz Gudmundsson
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine and Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping S-58185, Sweden
| | - Richard Levi
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine and Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping S-58185, Sweden
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