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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Arq Neuropsiquiatr 2020; 78(05): 290-300
DOI: 10.1590/0004-282X20200051
VIEW AND REVIEW

Neurological complications in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection: a systematic review

Complicações neurológicas em pacientes infectados pelo SARS-CoV-2: uma revisão sistemática
Renato Puppi MUNHOZ 
1   University of Toronto, Toronto Western Hospital, Movement Disorders Centre, Toronto ON, Canada.
,
José Luiz PEDROSO 
2   Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, São Paulo SP, Brazil.
,
Fábio Augusto NASCIMENTO 
3   Baylor College of Medicine, Department of Neurology, Houston TX, USA.
,
Sergio Monteiro de ALMEIDA 
4   Universidade Federal do Paraná, Hospital de Clínicas, Neuroinfection Outclinic, Virology Laboratory, Medical Pathology Department, Curitiba PR, Brazil.
,
Orlando Graziani Povoas BARSOTTINI 
2   Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, São Paulo SP, Brazil.
,
Francisco Eduardo C CARDOSO 
5   Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Hospital das Clínicas, Movement Disorders Unit, Neurology Service, Internal Medicine Department, Belo Horizonte MG, Brazil.
,
Hélio A Ghizoni TEIVE 
6   Universidade Federal do Paraná, Hospital de Clínicas, Internal Medicine Department, Neurology Service, Curitiba PR, Brazil.
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ABSTRACT

Background: As the COVID-19 pandemic unfolds worldwide, different forms of reports have described its neurologic manifestations. Objective: To review the literature on neurological complications of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Methods: Literature search performed following systematic reviews guidelines, using specific keywords based on the COVID-19 neurological complications described up to May 10th, 2020. Results: A total of 43 articles were selected, including data ranging from common, non-specific symptoms, such as hyposmia and myalgia, to more complex and life-threatening conditions, such as cerebrovascular diseases, encephalopathies, and Guillain-Barré syndrome. Conclusion: Recognition of neurological manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 should be emphasized despite the obvious challenges faced by clinicians caring for critical patients who are often sedated and presenting other concurrent systemic complications.

RESUMO

Introdução: À medida que a pandemia da COVID-19 se desenvolve em todo o mundo, diferentes tipos de publicações descreveram suas manifestações neurológicas. Objetivo: Revisar a literatura sobre complicações neurológicas da infecção por SARS-CoV-2. Métodos: A pesquisa bibliográfica foi realizada seguindo diretrizes de revisões sistemáticas, usando palavras-chave específicas baseadas nas complicações neurológicas da COVID-19 descritas até 10 de maio de 2020. Resultados: Foram selecionados 43 artigos, incluindo descrições que variam de sintomas comuns e inespecíficos, como hiposmia e mialgia, a condições mais complexas e com risco de vida, como doenças cerebrovasculares, encefalopatias e síndrome de Guillain-Barré. Conclusão: O reconhecimento das manifestações neurológicas da SARS-CoV-2 deve ser enfatizado apesar dos óbvios desafios enfrentados pelos clínicos que cuidam de pacientes críticos, muitas vezes sedados e apresentando outras complicações sistêmicas concomitantes.

Keywords:

Coronavirus Infections - COVID-19 - Neurology - Guillain-Barré Syndrome - Encephalitis - Stroke

Palavras-chave:

Infecções por Coronavírus - COVID-19 - Neurologia - Síndrome de Guillain-Barré - Encefalopatias - Acidente Vascular Cerebral - Mialgia


Publication History

Received: 27 April 2020

Accepted: 01 May 2020

Article published online:
13 June 2023

© 2020. Academia Brasileira de Neurologia. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commecial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

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