Consensus for prevention and management of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) for neurologists

Abstract

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a pandemic disease globally. Although COVID-19 directly invades lungs, it also involves the nervous system. Therefore, patients with nervous system involvement as the presenting symptoms in the early stage of infection may easily be misdiagnosed and their treatment delayed. They become silent contagious sources or 'virus spreaders'. In order to help neurologists to better understand the occurrence, development and prognosis, we have developed this consensus of prevention and management of COVID-19. It can also assist other healthcare providers to be familiar with and recognise COVID-19 in their evaluation of patients in the clinic and hospital environment.

Keywords: brain; infection; stroke.

Figure 1

Pulmonary progress on axial chest CT. (A) During the first few days, a single lesion; (B) during the first week, multiple lesions; (C) during the first and second week, nearly 50% involvement of bilateral lungs; (D) after the second week, diffuse lesion of bilateral lungs. Arrows indicate the infected area.

Figure 2

Brain CT and chest CT images from a critically ill patient with COVID-19. (A) Brain CT showing cerebral infarction. Arrows indicate the infarction area. (B) Diffuse lesion of bilateral lungs from the same patient.