ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Recent studies have focused on the incidence rate and pattern of meningoencephalitis in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). AIM: This study aims to shed more light on the CSF pattern and clinical characteristics of meningoencephalitis COVID-19 patients in Zanjan, Iran. METHODS: Nine cases of laboratory and imaging confirmed COVID-19 were admitted to Valiasr Hospitals in Zanjan, Iran. Data were collected from May 20, 2020 to June 20, 2020. RESULTS: All the nine patients had positive RT-PCR COVID-19 and Pulmonary involvement who underwent Lumbar puncture and analysis, but despite neurological symptoms, the RT-PCR of CSF for COVID-19 was negative. CONCLUSION: Although we did not have any cases of positive RT-PCR for COVID-19 in lumbar puncture specimens, the justification of neurological symptoms in patients can be the transient presence of the virus in the CSF, and inflammation or autoimmune response caused by the virus, so more studies are needed to determine the cause of neurogenic symptoms.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Thrombosis and pulmonary embolism appear to be major causes of mortality in hospitalized coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients. However, few studies have focused on the incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) after hospitalization for COVID-19. METHODS: In this multi-center study, we followed 1529 COVID-19 patients for at least 45 days after hospital discharge, who underwent routine telephone follow-up. In case of signs or symptoms of pulmonary embolism (PE) or deep vein thrombosis (DVT), they were invited for an in-hospital visit with a pulmonologist. The primary outcome was symptomatic VTE within 45 days of hospital discharge. RESULTS: Of 1529 COVID-19 patients discharged from hospital, a total of 228 (14.9%) reported potential signs or symptoms of PE or DVT and were seen for an in-hospital visit. Of these, 13 and 12 received Doppler ultrasounds or pulmonary CT angiography, respectively, of whom only one patient was diagnosed with symptomatic PE. Of 51 (3.3%) patients who died after discharge, two deaths were attributed to VTE corresponding to a 45-day cumulative rate of symptomatic VTE of 0.2% (95%CI 0.1%-0.6%; n = 3). There was no evidence of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in these patients. Other deaths after hospital discharge included myocardial infarction (n = 13), heart failure (n = 9), and stroke (n = 9). CONCLUSIONS: We did not observe a high rate of symptomatic VTE in COVID-19 patients after hospital discharge. Routine extended thromboprophylaxis after hospitalization for COVID-19 may not have a net clinical benefit. Randomized trials may be warranted.