New-Onset Dementia Among Survivors of Pneumonia Associated With Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection

Abstract

Background Case series without control groups suggest that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection may result in cognitive deficits and dementia in the post-infectious period. Methods Adult pneumonia patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection (index hospitalization) and age, gender, and race/ethnicity matched contemporary control pneumonia patients without SARS-CoV-2 infection were identified from 110 healthcare facilities in United States. The risk of new diagnosis of dementia following >30 days after the index hospitalization event without any previous history of dementia was identified using logistic regression analysis to adjust for potential confounders. Results Among 10,403 patients with pneumonia associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection, 312 patients (3%; 95% confidence interval, 2.7%-3.4%) developed new onset dementia over a median period of 182 days (interquartile range Q1=113 days, Q3=277 days). After adjustment for age, gender, race/ethnicity, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, nicotine dependence/tobacco use, alcohol use/abuse, atrial fibrillation, previous stroke, and congestive heart failure, the risk of new onset dementia was significantly higher with pneumonia associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection compared with pneumonia unrelated to SARS-CoV-2 infection (odds ratio, 1.3; 95% confidence interval, 1.1-1.5). The association remained significant after further adjustment for occurrence of stroke, septic shock, and intubation/mechanical ventilation during index hospitalization (odds ratio, 1.3; 95% confidence interval, 1.1-1.5). Conclusions Approximately 3% of patients with pneumonia associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection developed new onset dementia which was significantly higher than the rate seen with other pneumonias.

At the Root of 3 “Long” Diseases: Persistent Antigens Inflicting Chronic Damage on the Brain and Other Organs in Gulf War Illness, Long-COVID-19, and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

“…18 Furthermore, patients with pneumonia associated SARS-CoV-2 infection have 30% higher odds of new onset dementia compared to other pneumonias. 19 Indeed, the effects on the brain are so substantial that some have referred to the commonly reported brain fog, difficulty concentrating, dizziness, and fatigue characteristic of long-COVID as “neuro-COVID.” 20…”

Cognitive impairments among patients in a long-COVID clinic: Prevalence, pattern and relation to illness severity, work function and quality of life

“…However, the incidence of cognitive- and mental health consequences of COVID-19 appears to be higher even after 2 years ( Taquet et al, 2022 ; Hewitt et al, 2022 ). Specifically, two studies found higher risk of developing dementia after pneumonia caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus compared with the risk of dementia following pneumonias caused by other viruses ( Taquet et al, 2021 ; Qureshi et al, 2022 ). In keeping with this, poorer cognitive outcomes after 6 months were found in COVID-19 patients admitted to intensive care units (ICU) compared to patients admitted to the ICU for other reasons ( Nersesjan et al, 2022 ).…”

COVID-19 Infection and Dementia: A Prospective Analysis of Time-Varying Risk, Subtypes, and Subpopulations from the UK Biobank

“…Research on the relation of dementia to COVID-19 infection rst focused on the increased risk of COVID-19 infection and its subsequent hospitalization and mortality due to pre-existing dementia [31][32][33]. Subsequently, there has been evidence that shows excess risk of dementia due to COVID-19 infection in several studies with various study settings as country of study site, period of follow-up, and controls used for comparison [18,19,24,34]. Nevertheless, up to now few studies have delineated the potential changing trend of dementia risk since COVID-19 infection, which may provide a basis for sequalae management and medical resource allocation.…”