Deterioration of Vocal Cord Paralysis after COVID-19 Infection in Multiple System Atrophy.

ABSTRACT

Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that often causes vocal cord paralysis (VCP), Parkinsonism, cerebellar ataxia, and autonomic dysfunction. VCP is the most fatal symptom that affects the prognosis of patients with MSA. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is often associated with neurological complications and it has recently been reported to induce VCP in patients without neurodegenerative diseases. We herein present two cases of patients with MSA in whom VCP worsened after COVID-19 and this led to the need to perform emergency tracheostomies. As VCP may deteriorate after COVID-19 in patients with MSA, it is important to prevent COVID-19 in these patients and closely monitor such patients for any signs of VCP deterioration post-infection to improve their prognosis.