Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome during convalescence from COVID-19.

Background and aim: With an ever-increasing population of patients recovering form severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), recognizing long-standing and delayed neurologic manifestations is crucial. Here, we present a patient developing posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) in the convalescence form severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).Case presentation: A 61-year-old woman with severe (COVID-19) confirmed by nasopharyngeal real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) required invasive mechanical ventilation 24-hours after admission. During her intensive care unit stay, she developed transient acute kidney injury and septic shock. She was extubated after 22 days. On day 25, she developed generalized tonic-clonic seizures. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain showed bilateral subcortical lesions on the parietal and occipital lobes and multiple micro-and macro-bleeds, consistent with PRES. At this point, RT-PCR for SARS-CoV-2 in a respiratory specimen and cerebrospinal fluid was negative. She was discharged home 35 days after admission on oral levetiracetam. Control MRI five months after discharge showed bilateral focal gliosis. On follow-up, she remains seizure-free on levetiracetam.Conclusions: PRES has been observed before as a neurological manifestation of acute COVID-19; to our knowledge, this is the first PRES case occurring in a hospitalized patient already recovered from COVID-19. A persistent proinflammatory/prothrombotic state triggered by SARS-CoV-2 infection may lead to long-standing endothelial dysfunction, resulting in delayed PRES in patients recovering from COVID-19. With a rapid and exponential increase in survivors of acute COVID-19, clinicians should be aware of delayed (post-acute) neurological damage, including PRES.

Incidence of Guillain-Barré syndrome following SARS-CoV-2 immunization: Analysis of a nationwide registry of recipients of 81 million doses of seven vaccines.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Information on Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) as an adverse event following immunization (AEFI) against SARS-CoV-2 remains scarce. We aimed to report GBS incidence as an AEFI among adult (≥18 years) recipients of 81,842,426 doses of seven anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccines between December 24, 2020, and October 29, 2021, in Mexico. METHODS: Cases were retrospectively collected through passive epidemiological surveillance. The overall observed incidence was calculated according to the total number of administered doses. Vaccines were analyzed individually and by vector as mRNA-based (mRNA-1273 and BNT162b2), adenovirus-vectored (ChAdOx1 nCov-19, rAd26-rAd5, Ad5-nCoV, and Ad26.COV2-S), and inactivated whole-virion-vectored (CoronaVac) vaccines. RESULTS: We identified 97 patients (52 males [53.6%]; median [interquartile range] age 44 [33-60] years), for an overall observed incidence of 1.19/1,000,000 doses (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.97-1.45), with incidence higher among Ad26.COV2-S (3.86/1,000,000 doses, 95% CI 1.50-9.93) and BNT162b2 recipients (1.92/1,00,000 doses, 95% CI 1.36-2.71). The interval (interquartile range) from vaccination to GBS symptom onset was 10 (3-17) days. Preceding diarrhea was reported in 21 patients (21.6%) and mild COVID-19 in four more (4.1%). Only 18 patients were tested for Campylobacter jejuni (positive in 16 [88.9%]). Electrophysiological examinations were performed in 76 patients (78.4%; axonal in 46 [60.5%] and demyelinating in 25 [32.8%]); variants were similar across the platforms. On admission, 91.8% had a GBS disability score ≥3. Seventy-five patients (77.3%) received intravenous immunoglobulin, received seven plasma exchange (7.2%), and 15 (15.5%) were treated conservatively. Ten patients (10.3%) died, and 79.1% of survivors were unable to walk independently. CONCLUSIONS: Guillain-Barré syndrome was an extremely infrequent AEFI against SARS-CoV-2. The protection provided by these vaccines outweighs the risk of developing GBS.

Psychological and Psychiatric Events Following Immunization with Five Different Vaccines against SARS-CoV-2.

BACKGROUND: Despite the high number of vaccines administered against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) worldwide, the information on the psychological/psychiatric adverse events following immunization (AEFI) with these newly developed vaccines remains scarce. OBJECTIVE: To describe the frequency of psychological/psychiatric symptoms among recipients of five different anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccines and to explore the factors associated with their development reported in the nationwide Mexican registry of AEFI against SARS-CoV-2. METHODS: Descriptive study of all the psychological/psychiatric symptoms, including anxiety, panic attacks, insomnia, and agitation reported to the Mexican Epidemiological Surveillance System from 21 December 2020 to 27 April 2021, among adult (≥18 years old) recipients of 7,812,845 doses of BNT162b2, ChAdOx1 nCov-19, rAd26-rAd5, Ad5-nCoV, or CoronaVac. The factors associated with their development are determined by multivariate regression analysis. RESULTS: There were 19,163 AEFI reports during the study period; amongst them, 191 (1%) patients had psychological/psychiatric symptoms (median age of 41 years, interquartile range of 32-54; 149 [78%] women) for an observed incidence of 2.44 cases per 100,000 administered doses (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.12-2.82), 72.8% of psychiatric AEFIs were reported among recipients of BNT162b2. The median time from vaccination to symptom onset was 35 min (interquartile range: 10-720). Overall, the most common psychological/psychiatric symptoms were anxiety in 129 (67.5%) patients, panic attacks in 30 (15.7%), insomnia in 25 (13%), and agitation in 11 (5.7%). After adjusting for the confounding factors, the odds for developing psychological/psychiatric symptoms were higher for those concurrently reporting syncope (odds ratio [OR]: 4.73, 95% CI: 1.68-13.33); palpitations (OR: 2.47, 95% CI: 1.65-3.70), and dizziness (OR: 1.59, 95% CI: 1.10-2.28). CONCLUSION: In our population, psychological/psychiatric symptoms were extremely infrequent AEFIs. No severe psychiatric AEFIs were reported. Immunization stress-related responses might explain most of the detected cases.

Stroke Among SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine Recipients in Mexico: A Nationwide Descriptive Study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Information on stroke among severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccines remains scarce. We report stroke incidence as an adverse event following immunization (AEFI) among recipients of 79,399,446 doses of 6 different SARS-CoV-2 vaccines (BNT162b2, ChAdOx1 nCov-19, Gam-COVID-Vac, CoronaVac, Ad5-nCoV, and Ad26.COV2-S) between December 24, 2020, and August 31, 2021, in Mexico. METHODS: This retrospective descriptive study analyzed stroke incidence per million doses among hospitalized adult patients (≥18 years) during an 8-month interval. According to the World Health Organization, AEFIs were defined as clinical events occurring within 30 days after immunization and categorized as either nonserious or serious, depending on severity, treatment, and hospital admission requirements. Acute ischemic stroke (AIS), intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), and cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) cases were collected through a passive epidemiologic surveillance system in which local health providers report potential AEFI to the Mexican General Board of Epidemiology. Data were captured with standardized case report formats by an ad hoc committee appointed by the Mexican Ministry of Health to evaluate potential neurologic AEFI against SARS-COV-2. RESULTS: We included 56 patients (31 female patients [55.5%]) for an overall incidence of 0.71 cases per 1,000,000 administered doses (95% CI 0.54-0.92). Median age was 65 years (interquartile range [IQR] 55-76 years); median time from vaccination to stroke (of any subtype) was 2 days (IQR 1-5 days). In 27 (48.2%) patients, the event was diagnosed within the first 24 hours after immunization. The most frequent subtype was AIS in 43 patients (75%; 0.54 per 1,000,000 doses, 95% CI 0.40-0.73), followed by ICH in 9 (16.1%; 0.11 per 1,000,000 doses, 95% CI 0.06-0.22) and SAH and CVT, each with 2 cases (3.6%; 0.03 per 1,000,000 doses, 95% CI 0.01-0.09). Overall, the most common risk factors were hypertension in 33 (58.9%) patients and diabetes in 22 (39.3%). Median hospital length of stay was 6 days (IQR 4-13 days). At discharge, functional outcome was good (modified Rankin Scale score 0-2) in 41.1% of patients; in-hospital mortality rate was 21.4%. DISCUSSION: Stroke is an exceedingly rare AEFI against SARS-CoV-2. Preexisting stroke risk factors were identified in most patients. Further research is needed to evaluate causal associations between SARS-COV-2 vaccines and stroke.

Delirium and Associated Factors in a Cohort of Hospitalized Patients With Coronavirus Disease 2019.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic dramatically increased the number of patients requiring treatment in an intensive care unit or invasive mechanical ventilation worldwide. Delirium is a well-known neuropsychiatric complication of patients with acute respiratory diseases, representing the most frequent clinical expression of acute brain dysfunction in critically ill patients, especially in those undergoing invasive mechanical ventilation. Among hospitalized patients with COVID-19, delirium incidence ranges from 11% to 80%, depending on the studied population and hospital setting. OBJECTIVE: To determine risk factors for the development of delirium in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. METHODS: We retrospectively studied consecutive hospitalized adult (≥18 y) patients with confirmed COVID-19 pneumonia from March 15 to July 15, 2020, in a tertiary-care hospital in Mexico City. Delirium was assessed by the attending physician or trained nurse, with either the Confusion Assessment Method for the Intensive Care Unit or the Confusion Assessment Method brief version, according to the appropriate diagnostic tool for each hospital setting. Consultation-liaison psychiatrists and neurologists confirmed all diagnoses. We calculated adjusted hazard ratios (aHR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) using a Cox proportional-hazards regression model. RESULTS: We studied 1017 (64.2% men; median age, 54 y; interquartile range 44-64), of whom 166 (16.3%) developed delirium (hyperactive in 75.3%); 78.9% of our delirium cases were detected in patients under invasive mechanical ventilation. The median of days from admission to diagnosis was 14 (interquartile range 8-21) days. Unadjusted mortality rates between delirium and no delirium groups were similar (23.3% vs. 24.1; risk ratio 0.962, 95% CI 0.70-1.33). Age (aHR 1.02, 95% CI 1.01-1.04; P = 0.006), an initial neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio ≥9 (aHR 1.81, 95% CI 1.23-2.65; P = 0.003), and requirement of invasive mechanical ventilation (aHR 3.39, 95% CI 1.47-7.84; P = 0.004) were independent risk factors for in-hospital delirium development. CONCLUSIONS: Delirium is a common in-hospital complication of patients with COVID-19 pneumonia, associated with disease severity; given the extensive number of active COVID-19 cases worldwide, it is essential to detect patients who are most likely to develop delirium during hospitalization. Improving its preventive measures may reduce the risk of the long-term cognitive and functional sequelae associated with this neuropsychiatric complication.

Critical role of acute hypoxemia on the cognitive impairment after severe COVID-19 pneumonia: a multivariate causality model analysis.

BACKGROUND: A high proportion of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) survivors may develop long-term cognitive impairment. We aimed to develop a multivariate causal model exposing the links between COVID-19-associated biomarkers, illness-related variables, and their effects on cognitive performance. METHODS: In this prospective study, we assess the potential drivers for the development of cognitive impairment in patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia aged ≥ 18 years at 6-month follow-up after hospital discharge, using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Patients with pre-existing cognitive impairment were excluded. Laboratory results at hospital admission were clustered by principal component analysis (PCA) and included in a path analysis model evaluating the causal relationship between age, comorbidities, hypoxemia, invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) requirement, in-hospital delirium, and cognitive performance. RESULTS: We studied 92 patients: 54 (58.7%) men and 38 (41.3%) women, with median age of 50 years (interquartile range 42-55), among whom 50 (54.4%) tested positive for cognitive impairment at 6-month follow-up. Path analysis revealed a direct link between the thrombo-inflammatory component of PCA (C-reactive protein, fibrinogen, and neutrophils) and hypoxemia severity at hospital admission. Our model showed that low PaO2/FiO2 ratio values, unlike the thrombo-inflammatory component, had a direct effect on cognitive performance, independent from age, in-hospital delirium, and invasive mechanical ventilation. CONCLUSION: In this study, biomarkers of thrombo-inflammation in COVID-19 and low PaO2/FiO2 had a negative effect on cognitive performance 6 months after hospital discharge. These results highlight the critical role of hypoxemia as a driver for impaired cognition in the mid-term.

Transient sensory symptoms among first-dose recipients of the BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine: A case-control study.

mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines are effective; however, persistent vaccine hesitancy is partly due to a misperception of their potential adverse events. Non-specific sensory symptoms (NSSS) following immunization are thought to be mediated by stress-related responses. In this case-control study, we evaluated NSSS from a cohort of 7,812,845 BNT162b2 first-dose recipients, of whom 10,929 reported an adverse event following immunization (AEFI). We found an overall frequency of 3.4% (377 cases) or 4.8 cases per 100,000 doses administered. Anatomically, the arms (61%) and face/neck region (36.2%) were the most commonly affected sites. The control group had significantly higher rates of reactogenicity-associated symptoms, suggesting that NSSS are reactogenicity-independent; in multivariable analysis, healthcare workers reported sensory symptoms less frequently (aOR 0.54; 95% CI 0.40-0.72;p < 0.001). This is the first study describing the topography and associated factors for developing NSSS among BNT162b2 recipients. The benign nature of these symptoms may help dissipate hesitation towards this vaccine.

Characteristics and predictors for silent hypoxemia in a cohort of hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

BACKGROUND: An intriguing feature recently unveiled in some COVID-19 patients is the "silent hypoxemia" phenomenon, which refers to the discrepancy of subjective well-being sensation while suffering hypoxia, manifested as the absence of dyspnea. OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical characteristics and predictors of silent hypoxemia in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. METHODS: We conducted a prospective cohort study including consecutive hospitalized adult (≥ 18 years) patients with confirmed COVID-19 presenting to the emergency department with oxygen saturation (SpO2) ≤ 80% on room air from March 15 to June 30, 2020. We analyzed the characteristics, disease severity, and in-hospital outcomes of patients presenting with dyspnea and those without dyspnea (silent hypoxemia). RESULTS: We studied 470 cases (64.4% men; median age 55 years, interquartile range 46-64). There were 447 (95.1%) patients with dyspnea and 23 (4.9%) with silent hypoxemia. The demographic and clinical characteristics, comorbidities, laboratory and imaging findings, disease severity, and outcomes were similar between groups. Higher breathing and heart rates correlated significantly with lower SpO2 in patients with dyspnea but not in those with silent hypoxemia. Independent predictors of silent hypoxemia were the presence of new-onset headache (OR 2.919, 95% CI 1.101-7.742; P = 0.031) and presenting to the emergency department within the first eight days after symptoms onset (OR 3.183, 95% CI 1.024-9.89; P = 0.045). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with silent hypoxemia sought medical attention earlier and had new-onset headache more often. They were also likely to display lower hemodynamic compensatory responses to hypoxemia, which may underestimate the disease severity.

Neurologic manifestations in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 in Mexico City.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a systemic entity that frequently implies neurologic features at presentation and complications during the disease course. We aimed to describe the characteristics and predictors for developing in-hospital neurologic manifestations in a large cohort of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 in Mexico City. METHODS: We analyzed records from consecutive adult patients hospitalized from March 15 to June 30, 2020, with moderate to severe COVID-19 confirmed by reverse transcription real-time polymerase chain reaction (rtRT-PCR) for the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Neurologic syndromes were actively searched by a standardized structured questionnaire and physical examination, confirmed by neuroimaging, neurophysiology of laboratory analyses, as applicable. RESULTS: We studied 1,072 cases (65% men, mean age 53.2±13 years), 71 patients had pre-existing neurologic diseases (diabetic neuropathy: 17, epilepsy: 15, history of ischemic stroke: eight, migraine: six, multiple sclerosis: one, Parkinson disease: one), and 163 (15.2%) developed a new neurologic complication. Headache (41.7%), myalgia (38.5%), dysgeusia (8%), and anosmia (7%) were the most common neurologic symptoms at hospital presentation. Delirium (13.1%), objective limb weakness (5.1%), and delayed recovery of mental status after sedation withdrawal (2.5%), were the most common new neurologic syndromes. Age, headache at presentation, preexisting neurologic disease, invasive mechanical ventilation, and neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio ≥9 were independent predictors of new in-hospital neurologic complications. CONCLUSIONS: Even after excluding initial clinical features and pre-existing comorbidities, new neurologic complications in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 are frequent and can be predicted from clinical information at hospital admission.