Mental disorders associated with acute COVID-19: clinical picture, therapy approaches

Abstract

The purpose is to study the structure of clinical manifestations of mental disorders in the acute period of COVID-19 among patients, who were hospitalized with a new coronavirus infection and their relations with the severity of the immune response, to assess the efficacy and safety profile of the spectrum of used psychopharmacotherapy. A study was conducted of patients, hospitalized to the department of infectious diseases and repurposed for COVID-19 clinical departments with a diagnosis of COVID-19 (compliance with the criteria for ICD-10: U07.1) from September 2020 to March 2021. Study design: single center opened retrospective cohort study. The main group is consisted of 72 patients, average age - 71 [56.0; 81.0] years, the part of women - 64.0%. The control group (n=2221) was formed from those hospitalized in the same period with a diagnosis of U07.1 without mental disorders during the hospitalization period, average age 62 [51.0; 72.0] years, the part of women - 48.7%. Mental disorders were diagnosed in accordance to ICD-10 criteria, the following peripheral markers of inflammation, that were evaluated: neutrophils, lymphocytes, platelets, ESR, C-reactive protein, interleukin; also coagulogram indicators: APTT, fibrinogen, prothrombin time, D-dimers. In the following range of mental disorders were identified: a depressive episode (ICD-10 F32) by 31 patients, by 22 - a disorder of adaptive reactions (ICD-10 F43.2), by 5 - delirium not caused by alcohol or other psychoactive substances (ICD-10 F05), by 14 - mild cognitive impairment caused by damage and disfunction of the brain or somatic diseases (ICD-10 F06.7). In comparison with the control group, these patients showed a statistically significant (p<0.001) increasing the level of inflammatory markers (CRP, IL-6) and changes in the coagulogram. and anxiolytic drugs were used most often. Regarding psychopharmacotherapy, drugs from the group of atypical antipsychotics - quetiapine was prescribed in 44% patients in average dose 62.5 mg per day, and Melatonin receptor type 1 and 2 agonist and antagonists of serotonin 5-HT2C receptors: agomelatine was prescribed in 11% patients in average dose 25 mg per gay. The results of the study confirm the heterogeneity of the structure of mental disorders in the acute form of coronavirus infection, revealing the relations between the clinical picture and laboratory parameters of the immune response to systemic inflammation. Recommendations are given for the choice of psychopharmacotherapy, in conformity with the peculiarities of pharmacokinetics and interaction with somatotropic therapy.