TABLE 1.
Cumulative brain pathology findings and comparisons based on neurological symptoms in COVID‐19 patients
| Brain pathology findingsa | Total sample | Neurological symptoms | p value | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | No | ||||
| SARS‐CoV−2 RNA | Yes | 104/248 (41.9%) | 41/78 (52.6%) | 37/78 (47.4%) | 0.097 |
| No | 144/248 (58.1%) | 23/60 (38.3%) | 37/60 (61.7%) | ||
| SARS‐CoV−2 proteins | Yes | 51/179 (28.3%) | 17/29 (58.6%) | 12/29 (41.4%) | 0.929 |
| No | 128/179 (71.7%) | 60/104 (57.7%) | 44/104 (42.3%) | ||
| Edema | Yes | 73/289 (25.3%) | 25/45 (55.6%) | 20/45 (44.4%) | 0.024 |
| No | 216/289 (74.7%) | 46/127 (36.2%) | 81/127 (63.8%) | ||
| Hypoxic‐ischemic lesionsb | Yes | 138/338 (40.8%) | 53/109 (48.6%) | 56/109 (51.4%) | <0.001 |
| No | 200/338 (59.2%) | 27/112 (24.1%) | 85/112 (75.9%) | ||
| Hemorrhagic lesionsc | Yes | 57/278 (20.5%) | 16/39 (41.0%) | 23/39 (59.0%) | 0.261 |
| No | 221/278 (79.5%) | 43/137 (31.4%) | 94/137 (68.6%) | ||
| Microgliosis | Yes | 147/280 (52.5%) | 25/67 (37.3%) | 42/67 (62.7%) | 0.318 |
| No | 133/280 (47.5%) | 34/113 (30.1%) | 79/113 (69.9%) | ||
| Astrogliosis | Yes | 130/285 (45.6%) | 23/58 (39.7%) | 35/58 (60.3%) | 0.292 |
| No | 155/285 (54.4%) | 36/114 (31.6%) | 78/114 (68.4%) | ||
| Inflammatory infiltratesd | Yes | 144/332 (44.0%) | 30/64 (46.9%) | 34/64 (53.1%) | 0.004 |
| No | 188/332 (56.0%) | 30/116 (25.9%) | 86/116 (74.1%) | ||
Data are reported as number of patients (percent). p values were obtained by comparing patients with versus those without neurological symptoms using the Pearson χ2 test. Significant p values are bolded.
aViral particles were found by means of electron microscopy in three out of four subjects.
bIntraparenchymal intravascular microthrombi with focal microscopic cortical or deep recent infarcts were detected in 47 patients (13.9%).
cPerivascular microhemorrhages were reported in 20 subjects (7.2%).
dPerivascular inflammatory cell infiltration or endotheliitis suggesting vasculitis were observed in 122 patients (36.7%).