Brad Tyson1, Laszlo Erdodi2, Sudeshna Ray1, Pinky Agarwal1. 1. Evergreen Neuroscience Institute, Evergreen Health Medical Center, Kirkland, WA, USA. 2. Department of Psychology, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON, Canada.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the occurrence of neurologic symptoms with a focus on altered mental status in a sample of deaths due to COVID-19. METHODS: We reviewed neurologic symptoms in 71 deaths due to COVID-19 at the first US hospital with reported cases, of which 66 (93%) had medical comorbidities, 47 (66%) came from assisted living facilities or nursing homes and 35 (49%) had baseline dementia. RESULTS: Sixty-one patients (86%) demonstrated neurologic symptoms at hospital admission. Altered mental status was seen in 47 patients (66%) and represented the most common neurologic symptom. Seven patients (10%) were comatose at hospital admission and 5 (7%) presented with altered mental status without respiratory symptoms. Three patients had seizures and two had strokes. Hypertension (61%), cardiovascular disease (59%), and dementia (49%) were the most common comorbidities associated with death due to COVID-19 in our sample. CONCLUSIONS: Neurologic symptoms, particularly altered mental status, are very common in COVID-19 patients with high risk of mortality. In a small subset of patients, altered mental status is the defining feature of disease presentation. A mental status examination should be incorporated in the medical assessment of COVID-19.
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the occurrence of neurologic symptoms with a focus on altered mental status in a sample of deaths due to COVID-19. METHODS: We reviewed neurologic symptoms in 71 deaths due to COVID-19 at the first US hospital with reported cases, of which 66 (93%) had medical comorbidities, 47 (66%) came from assisted living facilities or nursing homes and 35 (49%) had baseline dementia. RESULTS: Sixty-one patients (86%) demonstrated neurologic symptoms at hospital admission. Altered mental status was seen in 47 patients (66%) and represented the most common neurologic symptom. Seven patients (10%) were comatose at hospital admission and 5 (7%) presented with altered mental status without respiratory symptoms. Three patients had seizures and two had strokes. Hypertension (61%), cardiovascular disease (59%), and dementia (49%) were the most common comorbidities associated with death due to COVID-19 in our sample. CONCLUSIONS: Neurologic symptoms, particularly altered mental status, are very common in COVID-19 patients with high risk of mortality. In a small subset of patients, altered mental status is the defining feature of disease presentation. A mental status examination should be incorporated in the medical assessment of COVID-19.