Seizure as the presenting symptom of COVID-19: A retrospective case series.
Epilepsy Behav
; 112: 107335, 2020 11.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-662646
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has rapidly become a global pandemic, with over 1.8 million confirmed cases worldwide to date. Preliminary reports suggest that the disease may present in diverse ways, including with neurological symptoms, but few published reports in the literature describe seizures in patients with COVID-19.OBJECTIVE:
The objective of the study was to characterize the risk factors, clinical features, and outcomes of seizures in patients with COVID-19.METHODS:
This is a retrospective case series. Cases were identified through a review of admissions and consultations to the neurology and neurocritical care services between April 1, 2020 and May 15, 2020.SETTING:
The study setting was in a tertiary care, safety-net hospital in Boston, MA.PARTICIPANTS:
Patients presenting with seizures and COVID-19 during the study period were included in the study.RESULTS:
Seven patients met inclusion criteria (5 females, 71%). Patients ranged in age from 37 to 88â¯years (median 75â¯years). Three patients had a prior history of well-controlled epilepsy (43%), while 4 patients had new-onset seizures, including 2 patients with prior history of remote stroke. Three patients had no preceding symptoms of COVID-19 prior to presentation (57%), and in all cases, seizures were the symptom that prompted presentation to the emergency department, regardless of prior symptoms of COVID-19.CONCLUSIONS:
Provoking factors for seizures in patients with COVID-19 may include metabolic factors, systemic illness, and possibly direct effects of the virus. In endemic areas with community spread of COVID-19, clinicians should be vigilant for the infection in patients who present with seizures, which may precede respiratory symptoms or prompt presentation to medical care. Early testing, isolation, and contact tracking of these patients can prevent further transmission of the virus.Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Pneumonia, Viral
/
Seizures
/
Coronavirus Infections
Type of study:
Diagnostic study
/
Experimental Studies
/
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
Topics:
Long Covid
Limits:
Adult
/
Aged
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
Country/Region as subject:
North America
Language:
English
Journal:
Epilepsy Behav
Journal subject:
Behavioral Sciences
/
Neurology
Year:
2020
Document Type:
Article
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