[Psychiatric symptoms and COVID-19: results of a national case register]

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Psychiatric disorders are associated with a more severe course of COVID-19. COVID-19 can also lead to psychiatric symptoms. AIM: To gain insight into vulnerabilities and protective factors for the course of COVID-19 in a Dutch (neuro)psychiatric population. METHOD: Patients were divided into three groups patients with pre-existent mental disorders without and with new (neuro)psychiatric symptoms (NPS) during COVID-19 and patients without pre-existent mental disorders who developed de novo NPS during COVID-19. We summarize the characteristics of each group and compare the subgroups with inferential statistics. RESULTS: 186 patients were included in the case register. Patients with NPS showed a more severe course of COVID-19. Mortality in patients with NPS was higher in patients with pre-existent mental disorders compared to patients without pre-existent mental disorders. The most frequently reported de novo psychiatric symptoms during COVID-19 were delirium (46-70%), anxiety (53-54%) and insomnia (18-42%). CONCLUSION: NPS might be an expression of a more severe COVID-19 episode. In patients who developed NPS during COVID-19 we found evidence for a higher mortality risk in patients with pre-existent mental disorders. Extra vigilance for neuropsychiatric symptoms during COVID-19 is warranted.