Cerebral microhaemorrhage in COVID-19: a critical illness related phenomenon?
Stroke Vasc Neurol
; 5(4): 315-322, 2020 12.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-934125
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Cerebral microhaemorrhages are increasingly being recognised as a complication of COVID-19. This observational retrospective study aims to further investigate the potential pathophysiology through assessing the pattern of microhaemorrhage and clinical characteristics of patients with COVID-19 and microhaemorrhage. By comparing with similar patterns of microhaemorrhage in other non-COVID-19 disease, this study aims to propose possible common pathogenic mechanisms.METHODS:
A retrospective observational case series was performed identifying all patients with COVID-19 complicated by cerebral microhaemorrhage on MRI. The distribution and number of microhaemorrhages were recorded using the microbleed anatomical scale, and patients' baseline characteristics and salient test results were also recorded.RESULTS:
Cerebral microhaemorrhages were noted to have a predilection for the corpus callosum, the juxtacortical white matter and brainstem. All patients had a preceding period of critical illness with respiratory failure and severe hypoxia necessitating intubation and mechanical ventilation.DISCUSSION:
This study demonstrates a pattern of cerebral microhaemorrhage that is similar to the pattern reported in patients with non-COVID-19 related critical illness and other causes of severe hypoxia. This raises questions regarding whether microhaemorrhage occurs from endothelial dysfunction due the direct effect of SARS-CoV-2 infection or from the secondary effects of critical illness and hypoxia.Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Cerebral Hemorrhage
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
Topics:
Long Covid
Limits:
Aged
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
Language:
English
Journal:
Stroke Vasc Neurol
Year:
2020
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Svn-2020-000652
Similar
MEDLINE
...
LILACS
LIS