Neurological disorders throughout acute SARS-CoV2 infection: A comparative study between vaccinated and non-vaccinated patients

Abstract

BackgroundThe role of vaccination on Covid-19 severity in neurological patients is still unknown. We aim at describing clinical characteristics and outcomes of breakthrough and unvaccinated Covid-19 patients hospitalized for neurological disorders. MethodsTwo hundred thirty-two Covid-19 patients were admitted to a neuro-Covid Unit form March 1st 2021 to February 28th 2022. Out of the total sample, 74 (32%) were full vaccinated. The prevalence, clinical characteristics, disease severity, expressed by Brescia-COVID Respiratory Severity Scale (BCRSS) and National Early Warning Score 2 (NEWS2), and final outcomes of neurological syndromes were compared between vaccinated and unvaccinated cases.Cox regression analysis was implemented in order to investigate the combined effect of predictors of mortality. ResultsBreakthrough vaccinated cases were older (years 72.4 ± 16.3 vs 67.0 ± 18.9 years, p = 0.029), showed higher pre-admission comorbidity score and Clinical Frailty scale score (4.46 ± 1.6 vs 3.75 ± 2.0, p = 0.008) with no differences in terms of disease progression or mortality rate (16.2% vs 15.2%), compared to full-dose vaccinated patients.Cox-regression analysis showed age and NEWS2 score as the variables with a significant relation to mortality between the two groups, independently from pre-morbid conditions and inflammatory response. ConclusionThis study on breakthrough COVID-19 infection could help identify vulnerable neurological patients with higher risk of poor outcomes.