Presence of clinically captured neurologic signs and\/or syndromes linked to increased risk for in-hospital death<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
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THURSDAY, May 13, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Neurological manifestations are common among patients hospitalized with COVID-19 and are associated with an increased risk for in-hospital mortality, according to a study published online May 11 in JAMA Network Open<\/em>.<\/p>\n Sherry Hsiang-Yi Chou, M.D., from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, and colleagues conducted a cohort study involving adults hospitalized with COVID-19 at 28 centers across 13 countries and four continents to determine neurological phenotypes, incidence, and outcomes. Data were included for three cohorts with a total of 3,743 patients.<\/p>\n The researchers found that 82 percent of patients had any neurological manifestations. The most common self-reported symptoms included headache and anosmia or ageusia (37 and 26 percent, respectively). Acute encephalopathy, coma, and stroke were the most prevalent neurologic signs and\/or syndromes (49, 17, and 6 percent, respectively), while meningitis and\/or encephalitis were rare (0.5 percent). After adjustment for study site, age, sex, race, and ethnicity, the presence of clinically captured neurologic signs and\/or syndromes was associated with an increased risk for in-hospital death (adjusted odds ratio, 5.99). The risk for developing neurologic signs and\/or syndromes with COVID-19 was increased in association with the presence of preexisting neurological disorders (adjusted odds ratio, 2.23).<\/p>\n “Even if the pandemic is completely eradicated, we are still talking about millions of survivors who need our help,” Chou said in a statement. “It is important to find out what symptoms and health problems those patients are facing, and there is still plenty of work for years to come.”<\/p>\n Two authors disclosed financial ties to the pharmaceutical and medical device industries.<\/p>\n