Neurological implications of COVID-19: a review of the science and clinical guidance.

COVID-19 is a significant global health burden. The pulmonary morbidity and mortality of COVID-19 is well described, however, there is mounting evidence of neurological manifestations of SARS-CoV-2, which may be of prognostic significance. This paper summarises the available evidence in order to provide clinicians with a concise summary of the peripheral and central neurological manifestations of COVID-19, discusses specific issues regarding the management of chronic neurological disease in the context of the pandemic, and provides a summary of the thrombotic implications of the disease for the neurologist.

Emergent Large Vessel Occlusion Stroke During New York City's COVID-19 Outbreak: Clinical Characteristics and Paraclinical Findings.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The 2019 novel coronavirus outbreak and its associated disease (coronavirus disease 2019 [COVID-19]) have created a worldwide pandemic. Early data suggest higher rate of ischemic stroke in severe COVID-19 infection. We evaluated whether a relationship exists between emergent large vessel occlusion (ELVO) and the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak. METHODS: This is a retrospective, observational case series. Data were collected from all patients who presented with ELVO to the Mount Sinai Health System Hospitals across New York City during the peak 3 weeks of hospitalization and death from COVID-19. Patients' demographic, comorbid conditions, cardiovascular risk factors, COVID-19 disease status, and clinical presentation were extracted from the electronic medical record. Comparison was made between COVID-19 positive and negative cohorts. The incidence of ELVO stroke was compared with the pre-COVID period. RESULTS: Forty-five consecutive ELVO patients presented during the observation period. Fifty-three percent of patients tested positive for COVID-19. Total patients' mean (±SD) age was 66 (±17). Patients with COVID-19 were significantly younger than patients without COVID-19, 59±13 versus 74±17 (odds ratio [95% CI], 0.94 [0.81-0.98]; P=0.004). Seventy-five percent of patients with COVID-19 were male compared with 43% of patients without COVID-19 (odds ratio [95% CI], 3.99 [1.12-14.17]; P=0.032). Patients with COVID-19 were less likely to be White (8% versus 38% [odds ratio (95% CI), 0.15 (0.04-0.81); P=0.027]). In comparison to a similar time duration before the COVID-19 outbreak, a 2-fold increase in the total number of ELVO was observed (estimate: 0.78 [95% CI, 0.47-1.08], P≤0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: More than half of the ELVO stroke patients during the peak time of the New York City's COVID-19 outbreak were COVID-19 positive, and those patients with COVID-19 were younger, more likely to be male, and less likely to be White. Our findings also suggest an increase in the incidence of ELVO stroke during the peak of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Call to Action: SARS-CoV-2 and CerebrovAscular DisordErs (CASCADE).

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-Cov-2), now named coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), may change the risk of stroke through an enhanced systemic inflammatory response, hypercoagulable state, and endothelial damage in the cerebrovascular system. Moreover, due to the current pandemic, some countries have prioritized health resources towards COVID-19 management, making it more challenging to appropriately care for other potentially disabling and fatal diseases such as stroke. The aim of this study is to identify and describe changes in stroke epidemiological trends before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: This is an international, multicenter, hospital-based study on stroke incidence and outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic. We will describe patterns in stroke management, stroke hospitalization rate, and stroke severity, subtype (ischemic/hemorrhagic), and outcomes (including in-hospital mortality) in 2020 during COVID-19 pandemic, comparing them with the corresponding data from 2018 and 2019, and subsequently 2021. We will also use an interrupted time series (ITS) analysis to assess the change in stroke hospitalization rates before, during, and after COVID-19, in each participating center. CONCLUSION: The proposed study will potentially enable us to better understand the changes in stroke care protocols, differential hospitalization rate, and severity of stroke, as it pertains to the COVID-19 pandemic. Ultimately, this will help guide clinical-based policies surrounding COVID-19 and other similar global pandemics to ensure that management of cerebrovascular comorbidity is appropriately prioritized during the global crisis. It will also guide public health guidelines for at-risk populations to reduce risks of complications from such comorbidities.