Background and aims
Describe the neuropsychiatric symptoms in 300 patients requiring hospitalization surviving at the largest COVID-19 care center 3 months after discharge.
Methods
An exhaustive neurological evaluation was performed on 300 patients 3 months after hospital discharge following COVID-19 at the national institute of respiratory diseases in Mexico City, a COVID-only institution for the time being. All patients underwent a neurological symptom survey, complete neurological examination, cognitive evaluation with MoCA and MMSE screening tests, and some laboratory tests, by 2 expert neurologists. The patients were stratified as follows: mild COVID here those who only required the use of nasal prongs during hospitalization, moderate COVID those who required high oxygen flows with the use of a reservoir mask, high-flow nasal prongs, and severe COVID those who required advanced management of the airway during hospitalization.
Results
The mean age was 58 years +/- 13 years, 69% of the patients were male, 15% were health personnel. No comorbidity was statistically significant between groups. the main manifestations are hyposmia, dysgeusia, dizziness, vertigo, headache, myopathic pain, affective symptoms, insomnia, cognitive complaint, and arthralgias, with a statistically significant difference in sensorimotor neuropathy and neuropathic tremor in severe patients. Mean MoCA scores in mild patients were 27 while in moderate and severe patients 25 points. MMSE scores were 28 in mild patients, 27 in moderate to severe patients.
Conclusions
Adequate follow-up of post-covid patients is needed for symptomatic surveillance and to prevent long-term sequelae.