Post-COVID-19 prolonged neurological symptoms and characteristics: A face-to-face survey study

ABSTRACT

Background: COVID-19 was declared as a pandemic by World Health Organization on March 11, 2020, and still constitutes a serious health problem affecting millions of people across the world. The evaluation and follow-up of ongoing and/or newly developing neurological involvement after recovery from COVID-19 are important. This study aims to reveal post-COVID-19 neurological symptoms and risk factors for their development. Method(s) Patients over the age of 18 years who applied to centers, at least 4 weeks after COVID-19 infection and agreed to participate in the study were included in this cross-sectional study between January 20 and March 15, 2021. The patients were evaluated face to face, and their sociodemographic data, medical history, post-COVID-19 neurological symptoms, treatments, and Beck Depression Inventory scores were recorded. All statistical analyses were performed using SPSS 23 for Windows software package (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL). Result(s) Four hundred patients were included in this study, an average of 108+5.12 days had passed after the onset of COVID-19. The rate of post-COVID-19 neurological involvement was 73.3%, and the top 3 most common symptoms were headache (47%), myalgia (43%), and sleep disturbance (39%). Having depression (OR 4.54, 95% Cl1.88-10.96), female gender (OR2.18, 95% Cl1.36-3.49), hospitalization (OR 2.01, 95% Cl103-3.64), and usage of favipiravir (OR2.07 95 Cl1.15-3.72) were determined as independent predictors of developing prolonged neurological symptoms. Conclusion(s) The long-term consequences of COVID-19 remain uncertain. It should be remembered that neurological symptoms are very common in post-infectious patients and long-term follow-up may be required in the management of this condition. Copyright © 2022, ASEAN Neurological Association. All rights reserved.