Prognostic Factors in COVID-19 Patients With New Neurological Manifestations: A Retrospective Cohort Study in a Romanian Neurology Department

Abstract

Introduction: The emerging Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic caused by Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a serious public health issue due to its rapid spreading, high mortality rate and lack of specific treatment. Given its unpredictable clinical course, risk assessment, and stratification for severity of COVID-19 are required. Apart from serving as admission criteria, prognostic factors might guide future therapeutic strategies. Aim: We aimed to compare clinical features and biological parameters between elderly (age ≥ 65 years) and non-elderly (age <65 years) patients with COVID-19 and new neurological symptoms/conditions. We also aimed to determine factors independently associated with all-cause in-hospital mortality. Methods: All consecutive patients with COVID-19 and new neurological symptoms/conditions admitted in our Neurology Department between April 1 and August 23, 2020 were enrolled in this observational retrospective cohort study. Patient characteristics such as demographic data, comorbidities, biological parameters, imaging findings and clinical course were recorded. All-cause in-hospital mortality was the main outcome, whereas COVID-19 severity, hospitalization duration and the levels of supplemental oxygen were the secondary outcomes. Results: One hundred forty-eight patients were included, out of which 54.1% were women. The average age was 59.84 ± 19.06 years and 47.3% were elderly, the majority having cardiovascular and metabolic comorbidities. In the elderly group, the most frequent neurological symptoms/manifestations responsible for hospitalization were stroke symptoms followed by confusion, whereas in the non-elderly, headache prevailed. The final neurological diagnosis significantly varied between the two groups, with acute cerebrovascular events and acute confusional state in dementia most commonly encountered in the elderly (65.71 and 14.28%, respectively) and secondary headache attributed to SARS-CoV-2 infection often experienced by the non-elderly (38.46%). The elderly had statistically significant higher median values of white blood cell (8,060 vs. 6,090/μL) and neutrophil count (6,060 vs. 4,125/μL), C-reactive protein (29.2 vs. 5.72 mg/L), ferritin (482 vs. 187 mg/dL), fibrinogen (477 vs. 374 mg/dL), D-dimer (1.16 vs. 0.42), prothrombin time (151.15 vs. 13.8/s), aspartate transaminase (26.8 vs. 20.8 U/l), creatinine (0.96 vs. 0.77 mg/dL), and blood urea nitrogen level (51.1 vs. 27.65 mg/dL), as well as lower median value of hemoglobin (13.05 vs. 13.9 g/dL) and lymphocyte count (1,245 vs. 1,670/μL). Moreover, advanced age was significantly associated with more extensive lung involvement (25 vs. 10%) and higher fatality rate (40 vs. 9%). Overall, the mortality rate was 23.6%. Age as well as neutrophil count, C-reactive protein, fibrinogen, and activated partial thromboplastin time levels were independently associated with mortality. Conclusions: Older age, higher neutrophil count, C-reactive protein, fibrinogen, and activated partial thromboplastin time levels are independent predictors of mortality in COVID-19 patients with new neurological manifestations/conditions at admission.

Keywords: COVID-19; confusion; elderly; headache; mortality; neurological symptoms; risk factors; stroke.