Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis in COVID-19: presentation of two cases and review of the literature

ABSTRACT 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...

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Main Authors: Cesar Castello Branco Lopes, Sonia Maria Dozzi Brucki, Carlos Eduardo Borges Passos Neto, Luiza Alves Corazza, José Pedro Soares Baima, Matheus Dalben Fiorentino, João Fellipe Santos Tatsch, Maria da Graça Morais Martin, Leandro Tavares Lucato, Hélio Rodrigues Gomes, Maria Sheila Guimarães Rocha, Ida Fortini, Ricardo Nitrini, Luiz H. Castro
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Thieme Revinter Publicações 2020-12-01
Series:Arquivos de Neuro-Psiquiatria
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Online Access:http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0004-282X2020001200805&tlng=en
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author Cesar Castello Branco Lopes
Sonia Maria Dozzi Brucki
Carlos Eduardo Borges Passos Neto
Luiza Alves Corazza
José Pedro Soares Baima
Matheus Dalben Fiorentino
João Fellipe Santos Tatsch
Maria da Graça Morais Martin
Leandro Tavares Lucato
Hélio Rodrigues Gomes
Maria Sheila Guimarães Rocha
Ida Fortini
Ricardo Nitrini
Luiz H. Castro
author_facet Cesar Castello Branco Lopes
Sonia Maria Dozzi Brucki
Carlos Eduardo Borges Passos Neto
Luiza Alves Corazza
José Pedro Soares Baima
Matheus Dalben Fiorentino
João Fellipe Santos Tatsch
Maria da Graça Morais Martin
Leandro Tavares Lucato
Hélio Rodrigues Gomes
Maria Sheila Guimarães Rocha
Ida Fortini
Ricardo Nitrini
Luiz H. Castro
author_sort Cesar Castello Branco Lopes
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT 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.
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spelling doaj-art-9afe8457ca9f4e08a7dfcf26afbd5bbe2025-08-20T02:20:26ZengThieme Revinter PublicaçõesArquivos de Neuro-Psiquiatria1678-42272020-12-01781280581010.1590/0004-282x20200186Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis in COVID-19: presentation of two cases and review of the literatureCesar Castello Branco Lopeshttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-5731-2553Sonia Maria Dozzi Bruckihttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-8303-6732Carlos Eduardo Borges Passos Netohttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-6350-188XLuiza Alves Corazzahttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-7866-7786José Pedro Soares Baimahttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-2708-1181Matheus Dalben Fiorentinohttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-2996-9451João Fellipe Santos Tatschhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-6807-5004Maria da Graça Morais Martinhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-1794-9146Leandro Tavares Lucatohttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-9181-5245Hélio Rodrigues Gomeshttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-4461-0305Maria Sheila Guimarães Rochahttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-4312-3994Ida Fortinihttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-1084-340XRicardo Nitrinihttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-5721-1525Luiz H. Castrohttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-1878-8548ABSTRACT 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.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0004-282X2020001200805&tlng=enNeurologyCoronavirus InfectionsEncephalitisCentral Nervous System InfectionsDemyelinating Diseases
spellingShingle Cesar Castello Branco Lopes
Sonia Maria Dozzi Brucki
Carlos Eduardo Borges Passos Neto
Luiza Alves Corazza
José Pedro Soares Baima
Matheus Dalben Fiorentino
João Fellipe Santos Tatsch
Maria da Graça Morais Martin
Leandro Tavares Lucato
Hélio Rodrigues Gomes
Maria Sheila Guimarães Rocha
Ida Fortini
Ricardo Nitrini
Luiz H. Castro
Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis in COVID-19: presentation of two cases and review of the literature
Arquivos de Neuro-Psiquiatria
Neurology
Coronavirus Infections
Encephalitis
Central Nervous System Infections
Demyelinating Diseases
title Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis in COVID-19: presentation of two cases and review of the literature
title_full Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis in COVID-19: presentation of two cases and review of the literature
title_fullStr Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis in COVID-19: presentation of two cases and review of the literature
title_full_unstemmed Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis in COVID-19: presentation of two cases and review of the literature
title_short Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis in COVID-19: presentation of two cases and review of the literature
title_sort acute disseminated encephalomyelitis in covid 19 presentation of two cases and review of the literature
topic Neurology
Coronavirus Infections
Encephalitis
Central Nervous System Infections
Demyelinating Diseases
url http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0004-282X2020001200805&tlng=en
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