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. 2023;59(1):65.
doi: 10.1186/s41983-023-00659-x. Epub 2023 May 11.

Could vertigo be a post-COVID-19 sequela or presenting symptom?

Lamiaa I Daker  1 , Reham R Elshafei  2 , Mohammad Bahi  3 , Asmaa Mohammed  4 , Randa Erfan  5 , Mohammed Gomaa  1
Affiliations

Could vertigo be a post-COVID-19 sequela or presenting symptom?

Lamiaa I Daker et al. Egypt J Neurol Psychiatr Neurosurg. 2023.

Abstract

Background: It has been postulated that COVID-19 has a substantial neuro-otological impact such as vertigo or dizziness that is rarely evaluated. The purpose of this research is to study the occurrence of vertigo (whether as presenting symptom or a sequela) and its etiological characteristics in patients with covid 19 infection and close contact. It is a cross-sectional study (convenient sample) conducted on patients that had a previous history of covid 19 infection and another group of contact individuals who presented with the sensation of vertigo. All the included participants underwent full neurological and otological examination, nasopharyngeal swab PCR to confirm COVID-19 infection and video nystgmograghy (VNG).

Results: it was included 44 participants, where 7 (15.9%) of the participants were post-COVID-19 patients and 37 (84.1%) were close contacts of COVID patients. It was found that 6(85.7%) of post-COVID-19 patients had vestibular neuritis (VN), and 1(14.3%) patient had Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV). 9(23%) of those in close contact had positive PCR for COVID infection, 6(66.7%) of them had VN, and the other 3 (33.3%) had BPPV.

Conclusion: Vertigo could be a possible complication or a presenting symptom in patients with COVID patients that is mainly attributed to peripheral vestibular dysfunction.

Keywords: COVID-19; Vertigo; Video nystagmography.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interestsThe authors have no conflicts of financial interest to declare concerning this study. We confirm that we have read the Journal’s position on issues involved in ethical publication and affirm that this report is consistent with those guidelines.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
The distribution of the participants in this study
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Clinical presentation of COVID-19 infection
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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