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Clinical neurophysiology and cerebrospinal liquor analysis to detect Guillain-Barré syndrome and polyneuritis cranialis in COVID-19 patients: A case series
- Source :
- Journal of Medical Virology
- Publication Year :
- 2021
-
Abstract
- We report a case series of five patients affected by SARS‐CoV‐2 who developed neurological symptoms, mainly expressing as polyradiculoneuritis and cranial polyneuritis in the 2 months of COVID‐19 pandemic in a city in the northeast of Italy. A diagnosis of Guillain‐Barré syndrome was made on the basis of clinical presentation, cerebrospinal fluid analysis, and electroneurography. In four of them, the therapeutic approach included the administration of intravenous immunoglobulin (0.4 g/kg for 5 days), which resulted in the improvement of neurological symptoms. Clinical neurophysiology revealed the presence of conduction block, absence of F waves, and in two cases a significant decrease in amplitude of compound motor action potential compound muscle action potential (cMAP). Four patients presented a mild facial nerve involvement limited to the muscles of the lower face, with sparing of the forehead muscles associated to ageusia. In one patient, taste assessment showed right‐sided ageusia of the tongue, ipsilateral to the mild facial palsy. In three patients we observed albuminocytological dissociation in the cerebrospinal fluid, and notably, we found an increase of inflammatory mediators such as the interleukin‐8. Peripheral nervous system involvement after infection with COVID‐19 is possible and may include several signs that may be successfully treated with immunoglobulin therapy.<br />Highlights Neurological symptoms may be common in COVID‐19 patientsNeurophysiological assessment is fundamental for a correct diagnosisPeripheral nervous system involvement is possibile in people with COVID‐19In these patients, intravenous immunoglobulin administration is a safe and efficient therapy
- Subjects :
- medicine.medical_specialty
COVID-19
cranial polyneuritis
immunoglobulin
interleukins
polyradiculonevritis
cranial polyneuriti
Guillain-Barre Syndrome
Clinical neurophysiology
03 medical and health sciences
0302 clinical medicine
Cerebrospinal fluid
COVID‐19
Virology
Electroneuronography
medicine
Humans
030212 general & internal medicine
Research Articles
Palsy
Guillain-Barre syndrome
SARS-CoV-2
business.industry
interleukin
Ageusia
medicine.disease
Facial nerve
Compound muscle action potential
Infectious Diseases
Anesthesia
030211 gastroenterology & hepatology
medicine.symptom
business
Research Article
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Journal of Medical Virology
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....7a0dad8b1871eb1fce7c91fa49ea4868