Malignant Cerebral Ischemia in A COVID-19 Infected Patient: Case Review and Histopathological Findings

Optic Perineuritis in an Asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 Infection

INTRODUCTION

Optic perineuritis (OPN) is a previously undescribed sequela of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Here we present a case of OPN that developed several weeks after initial confirmation of the presence of novel coronavirus RNA in the nasopharynx by polymerase chain reaction assay and subsequent confirmation of SARS-CoV-2 IgG seropositivity in the absence of other systemic inflammatory or infectious markers.

CASE REPORT

An asymptomatic 71-year-old man with noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) tested RNA positive for SARS-CoV-2 during a routine screening of patients at a skilled nursing facility. ~3 weeks after the positive SARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction test, the patient developed subacute ophthalmoparesis of the left eye, horizontal diplopia, retro-orbital pain, and frontal headache. An urgent magnetic resonance imaging of the head and orbits suggested OPN. Cerebrospinal fluid studies were without evidence of other infectious, inflammatory, neoplastic, or paraneoplastic processes. He was started on a 5-day course of high-dose intravenous steroids and later transitioned to oral steroid therapy. Sixteen days after the initiation of steroid therapy, the patient had no headache or retro-orbital pain and demonstrated a marked improvement in horizontal gaze.

CONCLUSION

SARS-CoV-2-associated neurological sequelae have been increasingly recognized during the current coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. The present case suggests that patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 positivity, even without pulmonary or other classic manifestations of active infection, may manifest diverse clinical presentations including postinfectious OPN that could be related to an underlying autoimmune reactive inflammatory response.

Malignant cerebral infarction associated with COVID-19 in a child

Neurological manifestations, such as encephalitis, meningitis, ischemic, and hemorrhagic strokes, are reported with increasing frequency in patients affected by Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In children, acute ischemic stroke is usually multifactorial: viral infection is an important precipitating factor for stroke. We present a case of a child with serological evidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection whose onset was a massive right cerebral artery ischemia that led to a malignant cerebral infarction. The patient underwent a life-saving decompressive hemicraniectomy, with good functional recovery, except for residual hemiplegia. During rehabilitation, the patient also developed a lower extremity peripheral nerve neuropathy, likely related to a long-Covid syndrome.

A case-based systematic review on the SARS-COVID-2-associated cerebrovascular diseases and the possible virus routes of entry

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sparked a global pandemic that continues to affect various facets of human existence. Many sources reported virus-induced acute cerebrovascular disorders. Systematically, this paper reviews the case studies of COVID-19-related acute cerebrovascular diseases such as ischaemic stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage, and cerebral sinus thrombosis. We also spoke about how SARS-CoV-2 can infect the brain and trigger the aforementioned disorders. We stated that SARS-CoV-2 neuroinvasion and BBB dysfunction could cause the observed disorders; however, further research is required to specify the mechanisms and pathogenesis of the virus.

Age-Associated Neurological Complications of COVID-19: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

The outbreak of the novel and highly infectious severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has resulted in hundreds of millions of infections and millions of deaths globally. Infected individuals that progress to coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) experience upper and lower respiratory complications that range in severity and may lead to wide-spread inflammation and generalized hypoxia or hypoxemia that impacts multiple organ systems, including the central and peripheral nervous systems. Since the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak, multiple reports continue to emerge that detail neurological symptoms, ranging from relatively mild (e.g., impaired taste and/or smell) to severe (e.g., stroke), suggesting SARS-CoV-2 may be neurotropic and/or contribute to nervous system injury through direct and/or indirect mechanisms. To gain insight into the types of neurological complications associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection and their possible relationship with age, sex, COVID-19 severity, and comorbidities, we performed a systematic review of case reports and series published in 2020 - April 4, 2021 of infected patients with neurological manifestations. Meta-analyses were conducted using individual patient data from reports where these data could be extracted. Here, we report neurological injury occurs across the lifespan in the context of infection, with and without known comorbidities, and with all disease severities, including asymptomatic patients. Older individuals, however, are more susceptible to developing life-threatening COVID-19 and cerebrovascular disease (CVD), such as stroke. A mild but inverse correlation with age was seen with CNS inflammatory diseases, such as encephalitis, as well as taste and/or smell disorders. When reported, increased age was also associated with comorbid cardiovascular risk factors, including hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and lipid disorders, but not with obesity. Obesity did correlate with development of critical COVID-19. Discussion into potential pathophysiological mechanisms by which neurological symptoms arise and long-term consequences of infection to the nervous system is also provided.

Neurological manifestations and neuroimaging findings in patients with SARS-CoV2-a systematic review

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically affected everyone in a hit or miss manner. Since it began, evidence of the neuro-invasive potential of the virus has been intensifying significantly. Several pathways have been hypothesized to elucidate the neurotropic nature of SARS-CoV2. It is the need of the hour to collect vital information.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate and correlate the neuro-radiological and neurological manifestations in patients diagnosed with SARS-CoV2.To identify neuro-invasive pathways of COVID infection.

METHODS

Relevant studies were identified through four databases-the Cochrane Library, PubMed, Science Direct, and Web of Science. These were searched using relevant keywords-"COVID-19," "SARS-CoV2," "neurological manifestations," "neuroimaging," "CT," and "MRI." Relevant articles were screened according to a pre-defined inclusion and exclusion criteria from December 2019 to August 2020.

RESULTS

Our review included a total of 63 full text publications with 584 patients, composed mainly of observational studies, case reports, and case series. The most common neurological manifestations associated with COVID-19 were altered mental status, stroke, and paralysis. About 17.85% patients who underwent neuroimaging were found to be having ischemic changes suggestive of a stroke. This was followed by hemorrhagic changes as the second most common finding. The most commonly involved vessel was the Middle Cerebral Artery. Besides stroke, we found that SARS-CoV2 could be the cause for new-onset seizures, Guillain-Barre Syndrome, encephalitis, and many other severe neurological diseases.

CONCLUSION

The information that we have obtained so far will prove dynamic to healthcare providers working against the COVID-19 pandemic. It is necessary to be aware of these atypical neurological findings for the early diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19 infected patients. However, to completely understand the connection between SARS-CoV2 and the nervous system, further research is necessary.

SARS-CoV-2 Induced Neurological Manifestations Entangles Cytokine Storm That Implicates For Therapeutic Strategies

The new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), can present with neurological symptoms and induce neurological complications. The involvement in both the central and peripheral nervous systems in COVID-19 patients has been associated with direct invasion of the virus and the induction of cytokine storm. This review discussed the pathways for the virus invasion into the nervous system and characterized the SARS-CoV-2 induced cytokine storm. In addition, the mechanisms underlying the immune responses and cytokine storm induction after SARS-CoV-2 infection were also discussed. Although some neurological symptoms are mild and disappear after recovery from infection, some severe neurological complications contribute to the mortality of COVID-19 patients. Therefore, the insight into the cause of SARS-CoV-2 induced cytokine storm in context with neurological complications will formulate the novel management of the disease and further identify new therapeutic targets for COVID-19.

Decompressive hemicraniectomy for acute ischemic stroke associated with coronavirus disease 2019 infection: Case report and systematic review

BACKGROUND

Decompressive hemicraniectomy (DH) has been performed for some cases of acute ischemic stroke in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection, but there is little information about the clinical course and outcomes of these patients.

CASE DESCRIPTION

We report a case of a 36-year-old woman with COVID-19 infection who developed stroke like symptoms while under home quarantine. Cranial CT scan showed an acute left internal carotid artery (ICA) infarct. She subsequently underwent an emergent left DH. Despite timely surgical intervention, she succumbed to chronic respiratory failure. A systematic review of SCOPUS and PubMed databases for case reports and case series of patients with COVID-19 infection who similarly underwent a DH for an acute ischemic infarct was performed. There were eight other reported cases in the literature. The patients' age ranged from 33 to 70 years (mean 48), with a female predilection (2:1). Respiratory preceded neurologic symptoms in 83% of cases. The ICA was the one most commonly involved in the stroke, and the mean NIHSS score was 20. DH was performed at a mean of 1.8 days post-ictus. Only four out of the nine patients were reported alive at the time of writing. The most common cause of death was respiratory failure (60%).

CONCLUSION

Clinicians have to be cognizant of the neurovascular complications that may occur during the course of a patient with COVID-19. DH for acute ischemic stroke associated with the said infection was reported in nine patients, but the outcomes were generally poor despite early surgical intervention.

COVID-19 and stroke: from the cases to the causes

During COVID-19 pandemic, a wide variety of stroke typologies have been described in patients affected by SARS-CoV-2. Investigating the case reports of acute stroke in COVID-19 patients, published since the beginning of the pandemic, we tried to trace the pathogenic mechanisms of stroke during SARS-CoV-2 infection. We conducted a systematic review analyzing demographic data, cerebrovascular risk factors, NIHSS score, vascular territory involvement and laboratory findings of 168 patients described in 89 studies, from a pool of 1243 records. Based on our results, we have identified different stroke profiles: (1) cerebral large vessel disease (CLVD) profile with a low disability, simultaneous onset of COVID-19 and stroke symptoms, good outcome and low serum levels of D-dimer and CRP; (2) intracranial bleeding (IB) profile with high disability, poor outcome and low levels of serum markers of inflammation and coagulopathy; (3) CLVD profile with a short time-lapse between COVID-19 symptoms and stroke onset, high neurological disability and very high systemic inflammatory markers; (4) multiple thrombo-embolic disease (MTED) profile with older patients, many comorbidities, disabling stroke, poor outcome, evident alteration of coagulation tests and high serum levels of both D-dimer and CRP. We therefore summarized these different profiles in a spectrum similar to that of visible light, where the violet-blue band included IB and CSVD with low inflammation and prothrombotic activity, the green-yellow band included CLVD with high inflammation and moderate prothrombotic activity and the orange-red band for MTED with moderate-high levels of inflammation and very high prothrombotic activity.

Bilateral Large Vessel Occlusion Causing Massive Ischemic Stroke in a COVID-19 Patient

The case of a 70-year-old male presenting an ischemic stroke related to COVID-19 infection is described. He was initially admitted to the hospital with respiratory insufficiency syndrome secondary to pneumonia caused by SARS Co2. In the next days, he developed rapid neurological deterioration characterized by drowsiness which progressed to deep coma. D-dimer was elevated. Brain CT scan showed bilateral massive ischemic stroke located in the anterior circulation, CT angiogram showed occlusion in the left internal carotid artery and the right middle cerebral artery. The deterioration of the patient continued and he subsequently died. Large vessel occlusion has been reported in COVID-19 patients, but this clinical presentation is usually unilateral. Cases of bilateral occlusion of large vessels have not been previously reported in COVID-19 patients. This report shows that bilateral massive stroke may occur in COVID-19 cases and it should be suspected in patients who show rapid neurological deterioration without focal deficits.