Cerebral vasculitis of medium-sized vessels as a possible mechanism of brain damage in COVID-19 patients.
J Neuroradiol
; 48(3): 141-146, 2021 May.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-978379
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE:
Cerebral complications related to COVID-19 were recently reported, and the underlying mechanisms of brain damage remain uncertain, probably multifactorial. Among various hypotheses suggested, a possible vasculitis was issued but never confirmed. Herein, we aimed to describe brain MRIs focused on the intracranial vessel wall in a population of COVID-19 patients with neurologic manifestations. MATERIALS ANDMETHODS:
Between March 1 and May 31, 2020, 69 consecutive COVID-19 patients with neurologic manifestations underwent a brain MRI allowing the study of the intracranial vessel wall at Strasbourg University hospitals and were retrospectively included. During the same period, 25 consecutive patients, without suspicion of SARS-CoV-2 infection, underwent a brain MRI urgently, with the same imaging protocols. A vasculitis seemed likely when imaging demonstrated vessel wall thickening with homogeneous and concentric enhancement.RESULTS:
Among the 69 COVID-19 patients included, 11 (16%) presented arterial vessel wall thickening with homogeneous and concentric enhancement, compatible with cerebral vasculitis. These neuroimaging findings were not found among the 25 patients without SARS-CoV-2 infection, and the difference was statistically significant (pâ¯=â¯0.03). Middle cerebral arteries, basilar artery, and posterior cerebral arteries were the most frequent vessels involved. For nine of them, imaging demonstrated ischemic or hemorrhagic complications.CONCLUSION:
Cerebral vasculitis of medium-sized vessels seems to be one of the mechanisms at the origin of brain damage related to COVID-19.Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Brain
/
Vasculitis, Central Nervous System
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Observational study
Topics:
Long Covid
Limits:
Adult
/
Aged
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
/
Young adult
Language:
English
Journal:
J Neuroradiol
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
J.neurad.2020.11.004
Similar
MEDLINE
...
LILACS
LIS