Background: More than one-third of COVID-19 patients present neurological symptoms ranging from anosmia to stroke and encephalopathy. Furthermore, pre-existing neurological conditions may require special treatment and may be associated with worse outcomes. Notwithstanding, the role of neurologists in COVID-19 is probably underrecognized. Objective: The aim of this study was to report the reasons for requesting neurological consultations by internists and intensivists in a COVID-19-dedicated hospital. Methods: This retrospective study was carried out at Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil, a 900-bed COVID-19 dedicated center (including 300 intensive care unit beds). COVID-19 diagnosis was confirmed by SARS-CoV-2-RT-PCR in nasal swabs. All inpatient neurology consultations between March 23rd and May 23rd, 2020 were analyzed. Neurologists performed the neurological exam, assessed all available data to diagnose the neurological condition, and requested additional tests deemed necessary. Difficult diagnoses were established in consensus meetings. After diagnosis, neurologists were involved in the treatment. Results: Neurological consultations were requested for 89 out of 1,208 (7.4%) inpatient COVID admissions during that period. Main neurological diagnoses included: encephalopathy (44.4%), stroke (16.7%), previous neurological diseases (9.0%), seizures (9.0%), neuromuscular disorders (5.6%), other acute brain lesions (3.4%), and other mild nonspecific symptoms (11.2%). Conclusions: Most neurological consultations in a COVID-19-dedicated hospital were requested for severe conditions that could have an impact on the outcome. First-line doctors should be able to recognize neurological symptoms; neurologists are important members of the medical team in COVID-19 hospital care.
Immune-mediated diseases were the most common cause of RPD in this series. Timely evaluation and diagnosis along with institution of appropriate therapy are required in RPD, especially in view of potentially reversible causes.
Background: Neurological manifestations of COVID-19 are still incompletely understood. Neurological manifestations may be due to direct viral effect on neurons and glial cells, to an immune-mediated response to the virus, or to a hypercoagulable state and associated endothelial damage, as well as to severe systemic disease with prolonged intensive care unit stay. Objective: To describe two patients with severe SARS-CoV-2 infection and delayed recovery of consciousness after sedation withdrawal, in whom MRI disclosed multifocal white matter brain lesions, compatible with the diagnosis of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis. Methods: Observational report of two cases of severe COVID-19 infection in patients from two tertiary hospitals in São Paulo, Brazil. Results: These patients underwent neurologic and systemic evaluation for delayed awakening after sedation withdrawal. MRI displayed multifocal centrum semiovale lesions, suggestive of demyelinating inflammation. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for SARS-CoV-2 was negative in both cases. Conclusion: A recurrent pattern of multifocal white matter lesions can occur in COVID-19 patients, possibly associated with delayed awakening. Additional studies are necessary to elucidate the role of the viral infection and of inflammatory and immune-mediated associated changes in neurological manifestations of COVID-19.
-For twelve years, the subject of this report, a 38-year-old man, presented a clinical condition compatible with the SUNCT (short-lasting unilateral neuralgiform headache attacks with conjunctival injection and tearing) syndrome. He presented a stabbing and intense daily pain located in the left pre-auricular and temporal regions. Each of these intense pain attacks lasted around one minute and presented a f requency of two to eight times per day. The pain was associated with ipsilateral lacrimation, conjunctival injection and rhinorrhea. MRI revealed a pituitary tumor with little suprasellar extent. The subject's serial assays of prolactin, GH, TSH and ACTH were within normal levels. Following transsphenoidal hypophysect o m y, with complete removal of the tumor, the subject no more presented pain. The pathological diagnosis was non-secreting adenoma. Fourteen months after the surgery, he remains symptom-free.KEY WORDS: SUNCT, pituitary tumor, surgery, ultra-shorting headaches.Síndrome SUNCT associada a tumor de hipófise: relato de caso RESUMO -O paciente relatado neste artigo apresentou uma condição clínica compatível com síndro m e SUNCT (cefaléia de curta duração, unilateral, neuralgiforme com hiperemia conjuntival e lacrimejamento). Ele referia dor diária, intensa, em facada, localizada na região pré-auricular e temporal esquerd a s . Cada ataque de dor permanecia por cerca de um minuto, com freqüência de duas a oito vezes por dia. A dor se acompanhava de lacrimejamento ipsolateral, congestão conjuntival e rinorréia. A RM mostrou um tumor de hipófise com pouca extensão suprasselar. Dosagens de prolactina, GH, TSH e ACTH estavam em níveis normais. Foi então submetido a hipofisectomia transesfenoidal com remoção completa do tumor após o que a dor cessou completamente. O diagnóstico anátomo-patológico foi adenoma não secre t o r. Quatorze meses após a cirurgia, o paciente permanecia livre de dor. PALAVRAS-CHAVE: SUNCT, tumor de hipófise, cirurgia, cefaléia de curta duração. s y n d rome is the poor response to pharm a c o l o g i c a l t re a t m e n t s 3 , 4 . There have been re p o rts of impro v ement upon the use of amitriptyline, carbamazepine, gabapentin, prednisone, topiramate 5 , lamotrigine 6 , nifedipine and sumatriptan 4 . Anesthetic blockades do not work very well, although there have been re p o rts of improvement following the local opioid blockade of the superior cervical ganglion 7 . There have also been re p o rts of surgical pro c e d u res that worked eff e c t i v e l y 5 while others re p o rts have indicated a lack of response to such procedures 8 .This syndrome has been listed in the second edition of The International Classification of Headache D i s o rders together with trigeminal autonomic cephaThe SUNCT syndrome (short-lasting unilateral neur a l g i f o rm headache attacks with conjunctival injection and tearing) is an uncommon headache characterized by moderate to severe pain. Usualy, the locations with the most severe pain are the ocular/periocular regions and the fronta...
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