Neuropsychiatric presentation of coronavirus disease 2019

Abstract

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused more than 1,000,000 deaths worldwide. Neurological manifestations are increasingly being recognized, mostly with severe systemic illness. Here, we describe two previously healthy males who developed encephalopathy with psychosis, fever, and headache. Investigations were remarkable only for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 RNA in the nasal swab without cerebrospinal fluid pleocytosis or brain imaging abnormalities. Patients received supportive management. One recovered in a short period, while the other deteriorated and passed away. The latter had elevated inflammatory blood markers, which can be useful prognosticators even in patients with neuropsychiatric manifestations.

Keywords

• coronavirus disease 2019
• encephalopathy
• immune mediated
• neuropsychiatric
• severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2