Neurologic complications of COVID-19

Cleve Clin J Med. 2020 Nov 23;87(12):729-734. doi: 10.3949/ccjm.87a.ccc058.

Abstract

Patients with COVID-19 have a fairly high risk of neurologic complications, including encephalopathy, stroke, central nervous system infection, seizures, and neuromuscular diseases. Many report losing their senses of smell and taste, and many survivors report lingering neurocognitive impairment. The diagnosis and treatment of these complications does not differ from that in other patients, although sophisticated testing may not be readily available for a patient in intensive care and respiratory isolation. Clinicians should therefore be alert to these complications.

MeSH terms

  • COVID-19* / complications
  • COVID-19* / physiopathology
  • COVID-19* / psychology
  • Central Nervous System Diseases* / etiology
  • Central Nervous System Diseases* / therapy
  • Cerebrospinal Fluid / virology
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Electroencephalography / methods
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods
  • Neuromuscular Diseases* / etiology
  • Neuromuscular Diseases* / therapy
  • Patient Care Management / methods
  • SARS-CoV-2* / isolation & purification
  • SARS-CoV-2* / pathogenicity
  • Seizures* / etiology
  • Seizures* / therapy
  • Stroke* / etiology
  • Stroke* / therapy
  • Symptom Assessment / methods