Neurological and neuropsychiatric manifestations in hospitalised patients with COVID-19

Abstract

Background: Although literature globally indicates varied neurological and/or neuropsychiatric manifestations (NNM) and complications associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), information about NNM in infected hospitalised patients on the African continent remains limited.

Aim: To describe the presentation of NNM and compare patients with and without NNM considering demographic and clinical profiles, treatment, and outcomes.

Setting: Tygerberg Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa.

Methods: Retrospective medical record review of the first 100 consecutively admitted COVID-19 patients (64 females, mean age 47.6 years) between March and June 2020.

Results: Of the 98 patients included in the analysis, 56.1% had at least one NNM. The most common NNM were myalgia (32.7%), headache (21.4%), loss of smell and/or taste (15.3%), and delirium (10.2%). Patients with and without NNM did not differ with respect to demographic characteristics. Patients with NNM had significantly more constitutional symptoms (p = 0.017) and were more likely to have neurological and/or neuropsychiatric comorbid conditions (10.9% vs. 0.0%, p = 0.033) than those without NNM. Patients without documented NNM were more likely to have abnormalities on chest X-ray (p = 0.009) than those with NNM. Coronavirus disease 2019 related treatment and mortality did not differ between the groups.

Conclusion: Neurological and/or neuropsychiatric manifestations were common in hospitalised patients with COVID-19. The results suggest that while COVID-19 patients with NNM may have less of a respiratory phenotype they nonetheless have equivalent mortality rates.

Contribution: This study highlights the common NNM in patients with COVID-19 admitted to Tygerberg Hospital early in the pandemic and adds to the growing evidence of COVID-19 NNM.