WHO Covid 19 - Neurological Abnormalities in SARS-CoV-2 ICU Patients

Neurological Abnormalities in SARS-CoV-2 ICU Patients. A Prospective Study. NeuroCOVID Study

The SARS-CoV-2 epidemic is leading to a large number of patients in intensive care units due to severe hypoxemic pneumonia. After an acute phase that may require controlled mechanical ventilation and deep sedation, removal of sedation often reveals a pathological awakening in the vast majority of patients. This encephalopathy state remains, to date and to our knowledge, unexplained. Clinical features do not appear to fully correlate with regular delirium. This encephalopathy might be explained by deep and prolonged hypoxemia, a wide use of sedation drugs, systemic inflammation or the hostile ICU environment.

This study is intended to investigate neurological abnormalities associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Complete daily neurological examinations will be routinely conducted in intensive care unit patients. Specific biological analyses will also be performed in these patients by collecting additional blood samples from an arterial or central catheter, every 2 days. These clinical and biological examinations will be continued throughout patient's stay in the intensive care unit.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age ≥ 18 years old
• COVID-19 positive patient (positive RT PCR, nasopharyngeal or tracheal)
• Patient admitted in an intensive care unit of the department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Perioperative of Clermont-Ferrand University Hospital
• Patient with an arterial or central catheter to perform blood samples collection

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patient or family member's refusal to participate
• Neuropsychiatric history that may interfere with neurological evaluations in the intensive care unit
• Patient not affiliated with French social security insurance
• Patient under legal guardianship