Neurological manifestations of COVID-19 in pregnancy: a cross-sectional study.

The occurrence of neurological manifestations and complications in pregnant women compared to non-pregnant women with COVID-19 is unclear. This cross-sectional study included women aged over 18 years hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2 infection confirmed by RT-PCR from March to June 2020 in Recife, Brazil. We evaluated 360 women, including 82 pregnant patients who were significantly younger (27.5 vs. 53.6 years; p < 0.01) and less frequently obese (2.4% vs. 15.1%; p < 0.01) than the non-pregnant group. All pregnancies were confirmed using ultrasound imaging. Abdominal pain was the only more frequent COVID-19 manifestation during pregnancy (23.2% vs. 6.8%; p < 0.01), but was not associated with the outcomes. Almost half the pregnant women presented neurological manifestations, including anosmia (31.7%), headache (25.6%), ageusia (17.1%), and fatigue (12.2%). However, neurological manifestations occurred similarly in pregnant and non-pregnant women. Four (4.9%) pregnant women and 64 non-pregnant women (23%) presented delirium, but the frequency with age-adjustment was similar in the non-pregnant group. Pregnant women with COVID and preeclampsia (19.5%) or eclampsia (3.7%) were older (31.8 vs. 26.5 years; p < 0.01), and epileptic seizures occurred more often in association with eclampsia (18.8% vs. 1.5%; p < 0.01) regardless of previous epilepsy. There were three maternal deaths (3.7%), one dead fetus, and one miscarriage. The overall prognosis was good. There was no difference in prolonged hospital stay, the need for ICU and mechanical ventilation, or death when comparing pregnant and non-pregnant women.

Pregnancy and neurologic complications of COVID-19: A scoping review.

While neurologic complications are frequently reported among patients with COVID-19 in the general population, they are unknown in pregnant women. This paper summarizes the case reports of pregnant women with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection plus a specified neurologic diagnosis. Until November 2021, 18 case reports were found. Both the central and peripheral nervous systems were equally affected: delirium (n = 1), posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (n = 4), cerebrovascular disease (n = 2), acute cerebral demyelinating disease (n = 1), acute necrotizing encephalopathy (n = 1), Guillain-Barré syndrome (n = 5), including one patient who also had vestibular neuritis, Bell's palsy (n = 3), and rhabdomyolysis (n = 1). The median maternal age was 32.5 (25-35) years, the median gestational age was 34 (30-36.5) weeks, and 38.9% presented previous medical conditions. Respiratory symptoms were reported in 76.5%, and 76.5% received immunotherapies to treat the COVID-19 or the neurologic complications. Half the women required admission to ICU and, more often, were those with central nervous system involvement (77.8% vs. 22.2%; Chi-square test, p = .018). For 64.7% of women, the most common method of delivery was surgical, although just one case was due to the neurologic complication. There were reports of one spontaneous abortion, two fetal deaths, and no maternal deaths. Only one case presented a poor neurologic outcome. It is possible that our findings are underestimated, considering that there are thousands of reports regarding neurologic complications in the general population with COVID-19.

Neurological manifestations as prognostic factors in COVID-19: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Neurological manifestations are frequent during COVID-19 but have been poorly studied as prognostic markers of COVID-19. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess whether neurological manifestations are associated with a poor prognosis of COVID-19, and which patient and COVID-19 characteristics were associated with encephalopathy. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study and included patients admitted with COVID-19 in four hospitals from Recife, Brazil. Data were collected by reviewing medical records. RESULTS: 613 were included; 54.6% were male, the median age was 54 (41-68) years, 26.4% required mechanical ventilation, and 24.1% died. The neurological symptoms presented were: myalgia (25.6%), headache (22%), fatigue (22%), drowsiness (16%), anosmia (14%), disorientation (8.8%), ageusia (7.3%), seizures (2.8%), and dizziness (1.5%). Twelve patients (2%) had strokes (ischemic strokes: 9) and 149 (24.3%), encephalopathy. Older age, a prolonged hospitalization, diabetes mellitus, a previous history of stroke and having epileptic seizures during hospitalization were significantly associated with the occurrence of encephalopathy. Older age, smoking and requiring mechanical ventilation were associated with prolonged hospitalization. Older patients, those requiring mechanical ventilation and those with encephalopathy presented a significantly higher risk, while those who had anosmia presented a significantly lower risk of dying. CONCLUSIONS: Neurological symptoms are frequent among patients with COVID-19. Encephalopathy was the most frequent neurological complication and was associated with a higher mortality. Those with anosmia had a lower mortality.

Headache associated with COVID-19: Frequency, characteristics and association with anosmia and ageusia.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the frequency and characteristics of headache in patients with COVID-19 and whether there is an association between headache and anosmia and ageusia. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study. Consecutive patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19, confirmed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique, were assessed by neurologists. RESULTS: Seventy-three patients were included in the study, 63% were male; the median age was 58 years (IQR: 47-66). Forty-seven patients (64.4%) reported headaches, which had most frequently begun on the first day of symptoms, were bilateral (94%), presenting severe intensity (53%) and a migraine phenotype (51%). Twelve patients (16.4%) presented with headache triggered by coughing. Eleven (15%) patients reported a continuous headache. Twenty-eight patients (38.4%) presented with anosmia and 29 (39.7%) with ageusia. Patients who reported hyposmia/anosmia and/or hypogeusia/ageusia experienced headache more frequently than those without these symptoms (OR: 5.39; 95% CI:1.66-17.45; logistic regression). Patients with anosmia and ageusia presented headache associated with phonophobia more often compared to those with headache without these complaints (Chi-square test; p < 0.05). Headache associated with COVID-19 presented a migraine phenotype more frequently in those experiencing previous migraine (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Headaches associated with COVID-19 are frequent, are generally severe, diffuse, present a migraine phenotype and are associated with anosmia and ageusia.