Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus disease 2 (SARS CoV-2) most commonly presents with respiratory disease, but neurologic complications are being reported. We aimed to investigate the rate of positive neuroimaging findings in children positive for SARS-CoV-2 referred for neuroimaging between March 18 and September 30, 2020. We found that 10% (n = 2) had acute findings. Our results may suggest that in children, neurologic involvement in COVID-19 is rare, neuroimaging has a low yield in diagnosis, and acute neuroimaging should involve careful risk-benefit analysis.
Highlights
MATERIALS AND METHODSFollowing institutional review board approval, a master database of all patients who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 at Texas Children’s Hospital between March 18, 2020, and September 30, 2020, was assembled by the Texas Children’s Hospital COVID-19 Imaging Taskforce
Children who met all of the following criteria were included in this study: 1) younger than 18 years, 2) tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 before and within 1 month of neuroimaging, and 3) had neuroimaging studies with COVID-19-attributable indications
The In this limited, preliminary study, we demonstrated systemic and average age at neuroimaging was 8.8 years. neurologic manifestations and neuroimaging findings in 20 chilFifty-five percent of patients (n 1⁄4 11) had no previous medical dren positive for SARS-CoV-2
Summary
Following institutional review board approval, a master database of all patients who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 at Texas Children’s Hospital between March 18, 2020, and September 30, 2020, was assembled by the Texas Children’s Hospital COVID-19 Imaging Taskforce. New-onset neurologic symptoms, clinical features (comorbidities, respiratory symptoms, multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children [MIS-C]), cardiopulmonary support, intensive care unit or special isolation unit stay, immune-therapy and condition at discharge, and laboratory findings (CSF testing, blood testing, SARS-CoV-2 testing) were reviewed and extracted from the electronic medical records. New-onset neurologic symptoms that were primary indications for neuroimaging within 1 month of testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 were classified as the following: 1) COVID-19-attributable indications (fever, seizures, status epilepticus, headache, focal neurologic examination findings, impaired consciousness);[1,2,3] and 2) other indications (motor vehicle crash, abusive head trauma, penetrating trauma, history of ventriculoperitoneal shunt, hydrocephalus, global developmental delay, sensorineural hearing loss, primary or metastatic tumor).
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
