BMC Neurology (Sep 2023)

Obstructive sleep apnea: a major risk factor for COVID-19 encephalopathy?

  • Gautier Breville,
  • François Herrmann,
  • Dan Adler,
  • Christine Deffert,
  • Giulia Bommarito,
  • Patrick Stancu,
  • Alice Accorroni,
  • Marjolaine Uginet,
  • Frederic Assal,
  • Renaud Tamisier,
  • Patrice H. Lalive,
  • Jean-Louis Pepin,
  • Karl-Olof Lövblad,
  • Gilles Allali

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12883-023-03393-2
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 23, no. 1
pp. 1 – 11

Abstract

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Abstract Background This study evaluates the impact of high risk of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) acute encephalopathy (AE). Methods Between 3/1/2020 and 11/1/2021, 97 consecutive patients were evaluated at the Geneva University Hospitals with a neurological diagnosis of COVID-19 AE. They were divided in two groups depending on the presence or absence of high risk for OSA based on the modified NOSAS score (mNOSAS, respectively ≥ 8 and 80%). Patients with a high mNOSAS had a more severe form of COVID-19 AE (84.8% versus 27.8%), longer mean duration of COVID-19 AE (27.9 versus 16.9 days), higher mRS at discharge (≥ 3 in 58.2% versus 16.7%), and increased prevalence of brain vessels enhancement (98.1% versus 20.0%). High risk of OSA was associated with a 14 fold increased risk of developing a severe COVID-19 AE (OR = 14.52). Discussion These observations suggest an association between high risk of OSA and COVID-19 AE severity. High risk of OSA could be a predisposing factor leading to severe COVID-19 AE and consecutive long-term sequalae.

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