Assessment of neurological manifestations in hospitalized patients with COVID‐19

Luigetti, Marco; Iorio, Raffaele; Bentivoglio, Anna Rita; Tricoli, Luca; Riso, Vittorio; Marotta, Jessica; Piano, Carla; Primiano, Guido; Zileri Del Verme, Lorenzo; Lo Monaco, Maria Rita; Calabresi, Paolo

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study is to assess the neurological manifestations in a series of consecutive SARS‐CoV‐2 positive patients, comparing their frequency with a population hospitalized in the same period for flu/respiratory symptoms, finally not related to SARS‐CoV‐2. METHODS: We retrospectively enrolled patients with flu‐respiratory symptoms admitted to Fondazione Policlinico Gemelli hospital from March, 14th 2020 to April, 20th 2020. Frequency of neurological manifestation of patients with SARS‐CoV‐2 infection were compared with control group. RESULTS: 213 patients resulted positive for SARS‐CoV‐2, after real‐time PCR on nasal or throat swabs, while 218 patients resulted negative, and were used as control group. Regarding central nervous system manifestations, we observed in SARS‐CoV‐2 positive patients a higher frequency of headache, hyposmia, and encephalopathy always related to systemic conditions (fever or hypoxia). Furthermore, muscular involvement was more frequent in SARS‐CoV‐2 infection. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with COVID‐19 commonly have neurologic manifestations but only hyposmia and muscle involvement seem more frequent if compared with other flu diseases.