On Wednesday, a team of British doctors warned that complications in the brain due to COVID-19 is more common than initially anticipated. These complications can be fatal and include stroke, nerve damage or delirium.
Severe COVID-19 infections are known to put some patients at risk of neurological damage. But serious complications can arise even in patients with mild cases of the Coronavirus infection, according to research led by University College London.
The research team looked at the neurological symptoms of 43 patients hospitalised with either confirmed or suspected Coronavirus infection. Out of these patients, 10 patients showed temporary brain dysfunction, 8 patients showed signs of strokes and 8 nerve damage.
Patients with inflammation were diagnosed with Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis (ADEM) – a rare condition seen in children after viral infections.
Michael Zandi, from UCL’s Queen Square Institute of Neurology and University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said, “We identified a higher than expected number of people with neurological conditions such as brain inflammation, which did not always correlate with the severity of respiratory symptoms.”
The research also said that none of the patients that had neurological complications had COVID-19 in their cerebrospinal fluid – suggesting that the virus did not directly attack the brain.
“Given that the disease has only been around for a matter of months, we might not yet know what long-term damage COVID-19 can cause,” said Ross Paterson of UCL’s Queen Square Institute of Neurology. “Doctors need to be aware of possible neurological effects, as early diagnosis can improve patient outcomes,” added Paterson.
Source: Livemint
