tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Clin Neurophysiol
. 2020 Aug 26;131(11):2651-2656.
doi: 10.1016/j.clinph.2020.08.003. Online ahead of print.
Continuous electroencephalography characteristics and acute symptomatic seizures in COVID-19 patients
Shreya Louis[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Andrew Dhawan[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Christopher Newey[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Dileep Nair[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Lara Jehi[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Stephen Hantus[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Vineet Punia[SUP] 4 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
Objective: As concerns regarding neurological manifestations in COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) patients increase, limited data exists on continuous electroencephalography (cEEG) findings in these patients. We present a retrospective cohort study of cEEG monitoring in COVID-19 patients to better explore this knowledge gap.
Methods: Among 22 COVID-19 patients, 19 underwent cEEGs, and 3 underwent routine EEGs (<1 h). Demographic and clinical variables, including comorbid conditions, discharge disposition, survival and cEEG findings, were collected.
Results: cEEG was performed for evaluation of altered mental status (n = 17) or seizure-like events (n = 5). Five patients, including 2 with epilepsy, had epileptiform abnormalities on cEEG. Two patients had electrographic seizures without a prior epilepsy history. There were no acute neuroimaging findings. Periodic discharges were noted in one-third of patients and encephalopathic EEG findings were not associated with IV anesthetic use.
Conclusions: Interictal epileptiform abnormalities in the absence of prior epilepsy history were rare. However, the discovery of asymptomatic seizures in two of twenty-two patients was higher than previously reported and is therefore of concern.
Significance: cEEG monitoring in COVID-19 patients may aid in better understanding an epileptogenic potential of SARS-CoV2 infection. Nevertheless, larger studies utilizing cEEG are required to better examine acute epileptic risk in COVID-19 patients.
Keywords: COVID-19; Critical illness; Electroencephalography (EEG); Seizures.
. 2020 Aug 26;131(11):2651-2656.
doi: 10.1016/j.clinph.2020.08.003. Online ahead of print.
Continuous electroencephalography characteristics and acute symptomatic seizures in COVID-19 patients
Shreya Louis[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Andrew Dhawan[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Christopher Newey[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Dileep Nair[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Lara Jehi[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Stephen Hantus[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Vineet Punia[SUP] 4 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 32949985
- DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2020.08.003
Abstract
Objective: As concerns regarding neurological manifestations in COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) patients increase, limited data exists on continuous electroencephalography (cEEG) findings in these patients. We present a retrospective cohort study of cEEG monitoring in COVID-19 patients to better explore this knowledge gap.
Methods: Among 22 COVID-19 patients, 19 underwent cEEGs, and 3 underwent routine EEGs (<1 h). Demographic and clinical variables, including comorbid conditions, discharge disposition, survival and cEEG findings, were collected.
Results: cEEG was performed for evaluation of altered mental status (n = 17) or seizure-like events (n = 5). Five patients, including 2 with epilepsy, had epileptiform abnormalities on cEEG. Two patients had electrographic seizures without a prior epilepsy history. There were no acute neuroimaging findings. Periodic discharges were noted in one-third of patients and encephalopathic EEG findings were not associated with IV anesthetic use.
Conclusions: Interictal epileptiform abnormalities in the absence of prior epilepsy history were rare. However, the discovery of asymptomatic seizures in two of twenty-two patients was higher than previously reported and is therefore of concern.
Significance: cEEG monitoring in COVID-19 patients may aid in better understanding an epileptogenic potential of SARS-CoV2 infection. Nevertheless, larger studies utilizing cEEG are required to better examine acute epileptic risk in COVID-19 patients.
Keywords: COVID-19; Critical illness; Electroencephalography (EEG); Seizures.