COVID-19 pneumonia with stroke: Is it a vascular phenomenon or thrombotic event?

Abstract

COVID-19 disease is known to cause pulmonary and extrapulmonary complications including effects on cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, renal, and neurovascular system. Ischemic stroke seems to be one of the most serious neurologic complications in patients with COVID-19 infection. In this case report, we have documented, 70-year-old male presented with acute respiratory syndrome with hypoxemia and neurological involvement as right hemiparesis with altered level of consciousness, COVID-19 real-time polymerase chain reaction positive, with abnormal laboratory parameters such as ferritin, lactate dehydrogenase, and D-dimer. Further investigations such as echocardiography documented cardiomyopathy and left heart dysfunction, high-resolution computed tomography thorax documented COVID pneumonia, and magnetic resonance imaging brain documented left frontoparietal and parieto-occipital lobe infarct. We have observed excellent clinical and radiological response to anticoagulation, antiplatelets, and steroids with other supportive care in critical care unit.

Keywords

• anticoagulation
• covid-19
• left heart dysfunction
• stroke