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Brain MRI and neuropsychological findings at long-term follow-up after COVID-19 hospitalisation: an observational cohort study.
- Source :
-
BMJ open [BMJ Open] 2021 Oct 27; Vol. 11 (10), pp. e055164. Date of Electronic Publication: 2021 Oct 27. - Publication Year :
- 2021
-
Abstract
- Objectives: To report findings on brain MRI and neurocognitive function, as well as persisting fatigue at long-term follow-up after COVID-19 hospitalisation in patients identified as high risk for affection of the central nervous system.<br />Design: Ambidirectional observational cohort study.<br />Setting: All 734 patients from a regional population in Sweden with a laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis admitted to hospital during the period 1 March to 31 May 2020.<br />Participants: A subgroup (n=185) with persisting symptoms still interfering with daily life at a telephone follow-up 4 months after discharge were invited for a medical and neuropsychological evaluation. Thirty-five of those who were assessed with a neurocognitive test battery at the clinical visit, and presented a clinical picture concerning for COVID-19-related brain pathology, were further investigated by brain MRI.<br />Main Outcome Measures: Findings on brain MRI, neurocognitive test results and reported fatigue.<br />Results: Twenty-five patients (71%) had abnormalities on MRI; multiple white matter lesions were the most common finding. Sixteen patients (46%) demonstrated impaired neurocognitive function, of which 10 (29%) had severe impairment. Twenty-six patients (74%) reported clinically significant fatigue. Patients with abnormalities on MRI had a lower Visuospatial Index (p=0.031) compared with the group with normal MRI findings.<br />Conclusions: In this group of patients selected to undergo MRI after a clinical evaluation, a majority of patients had abnormal MRI and/or neurocognitive test results. Abnormal findings were not restricted to patients with severe disease.<br />Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared.<br /> (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2021. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 2044-6055
- Volume :
- 11
- Issue :
- 10
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- BMJ open
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 34706965
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-055164