Background. Interest in electroencephalographic (EEG) coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) findings has been growing, especially in the search for a specific-features EEG of encephalopathy. Methods. We made a retrospective analysis of 29 EEGs recorded in 15 patients with COVID-19 and neurological symptoms. We classified the EEGs as “Acute EEG” and “follow-up EEG.” We did a statistical analysis between voltage and respiratory status of the patient, stay or not in the intensive care unit (ICU), days of stay in the ICU, sedative drugs, pharmacological treatment, type of symptoms predominating, and outcome. Results. We found EEG abnormalities in all patients studied. We observed the amplitude of background <20 µV at 93% of “acute EEG,” versus only 21.4% of “follow-up EEG.” The average voltage went from 12.33 ± 5.09 µV in the acute EEGs to 32.8 ± 20.13 µV in the follow-up EEGs. A total of 60% of acute EEGs showed an intermittent focal rhythmic. We have not found a statistically significant association between voltage of acute EEG and nonneurological clinical status (including respiratory) that may interfere with the EEG findings. Conclusions. Nonspecific diffuse slowing EEG pattern in COVID-19 is the most common finding reported, but we found in addition to that, as a distinctive finding, low voltage EEG, that could explain the low prevalence of epileptic activity published in these patients. A metabolic/hypoxic mechanism seems unlikely on the basis of our EEG findings. This pattern in other etiologies is reminiscent of severe encephalopathy states associated with poor prognosis. However, an unreactive low voltage pattern in COVID-19 patients is not necessarily related to poor prognosis.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
customersupport@researchsolutions.com
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.