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COVID-19 presenting as stroke.
Brain Behav Immun. 2020 Apr 28;:
Authors: Avula A, Nalleballe K, Narula N, Sapozhnikov S, Dandu V, Toom S, Glaser A, Elsayegh D
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Acute stroke remains a medical emergency even during the COVID-19 pandemic. Most patients with COVID-19 present with constitutional and respiratory symptoms, some patients present with atypical symptoms including gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, or neurological symptoms. Here we present a series of four COVID-19 patients with acute stroke as a presenting symptom.
METHODS: We searched the hospital databases for patients presenting with acute strokes and suspected COVID-19 features. All patients that had imaging confirmed strokes and PCR confirmed COVID-19 were included in the study. Patients admitted to the hospital with PCR confirmed COVID-19 disease whose hospital course was complicated with acute stroke while inpatient were excluded from the study. Retrospective patient data were obtained from electronic medical records. Informed consent was obtained.
RESULTS: We identified four patients presenting with imaging confirmed acute strokes and PCR confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. We elucidate the clinical characteristics, imaging findings, and the clinical course.
CONCLUSIONS: Timely assessment and hyperacute treatment is the key to minimize mortality and morbidity of patients with acute stroke. Stroke teams should be wary of the fact that COVID-19 patients can present with cerebrovascular accidents and dawn appropriate personal protective equipment in every suspected patient. Further studies are urgently needed for a comprehensive understanding of the neurological pathology of COVID-19 and its effects on the nervous system.
PMID: 32360439 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]