Multiple Microbleeds: A Serious Neurological Manifestation in a Critically Ill COVID-19 Patient

Abstract

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a viral illness caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). There is worldwide emerging evidence of multisystem involvement including different neurological manifestations in COVID-19 patients. As a result, healthcare systems worldwide are not only experiencing diagnostic but also therapeutic and prognostic challenges with COVID-19-related complications. Cerebral microbleeds and leukoencephalopathy have been described in COVID-19 patients; although the mechanism remains unknown, possibilities include endotheliitis with thrombotic microangiopathy, excessive inflammation, prolonged respiratory failure, and hypoxemia. We describe here the clinical, radiological, and laboratory findings as well as the 90-day outcome of a 72-year-old gentleman who presented with severe SARS-CoV-2 infection, leading to diffuse cerebral microhemorrhages and ischemic infarct causing severe morbidity. He was tested positive for COVID-19 confirmed by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction.

Keywords

• covid-19
• cerebral microbleeds
• critically ill patients