Neurologische Störungen

Application of CURB-65 for Determining the Prognosis of Hospitalized Covid-19 Patients with Neurological Symptoms

Abstract

Fahimeh Vahabizad, Zahra Ebadi, Mansoureh Togha, Mohammad Reza Fattahi, Sima Naeini, Maryam Karaminia and Seyedeh Melika Hashemi

Objective: Covid-19 patients can show various neurological symptoms. We aimed to assess the disease severity and prognosis in Covid-19 patients who experienced neurological symptoms.

Methods: In this retrospective, cross-sectional study, we evaluated 225 hospitalized Covid-19 patients with neurological symptoms. Their CURB-65 scores were measured to determine their pneumonia severity in relation to their neurological symptoms.

Results: The patients had different types of neurological symptoms, among which an altered level of consciousness was the most common (62.1%), followed by headache (50.7%). Patients with headaches had ultimately an 80% lower mortality rate (p ≤ 0.001). Patients who were conscious at the time of admission were 62% less likely to die (p=0.019). Based on the CURB-65 severity score, most patients (40.4%) were in the mild group, 33.8% were in the moderate group and 25.8% in the severe group. The presence of headache at admission was inversely related to the CURB-65 score, meaning that a patient with early-onset headache recorded a lower CURB-65 score (p ≤ 0.001; r=-0.389).

Conclusion: Neurological symptoms are a common part of the Covid-19 clinical spectrum. The severity of Covid-19 varied in patients exhibiting different neurological symptoms. A more severe disease course was observed with altered mental status and a milder course with headache at admission.