Summary of your 'study carrel' ============================== This is a summary of your Distant Reader 'study carrel'. The Distant Reader harvested & cached your content into a collection/corpus. It then applied sets of natural language processing and text mining against the collection. The results of this process was reduced to a database file -- a 'study carrel'. The study carrel can then be queried, thus bringing light specific characteristics for your collection. These characteristics can help you summarize the collection as well as enumerate things you might want to investigate more closely. This report is a terse narrative report, and when processing is complete you will be linked to a more complete narrative report. Eric Lease Morgan Number of items in the collection; 'How big is my corpus?' ---------------------------------------------------------- 39 Average length of all items measured in words; "More or less, how big is each item?" ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2394 Average readability score of all items (0 = difficult; 100 = easy) ------------------------------------------------------------------ 46 Top 50 statistically significant keywords; "What is my collection about?" ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 17 SARS 11 patient 10 COVID-19 6 covid-19 3 CSF 3 Barré 2 stroke 2 neurological 2 MRI 2 ICU 2 GBS 1 tumefactive 1 sea 1 outcome 1 old 1 igg 1 depression 1 covid 1 clinical 1 UPSIT 1 PRES 1 PMS 1 NMD 1 MND 1 IOS 1 HIV 1 HGG 1 DMT 1 China 1 CVD 1 CAS Top 50 lemmatized nouns; "What is discussed?" --------------------------------------------- 1382 patient 592 % 445 study 440 disease 416 infection 346 stroke 331 case 257 symptom 239 datum 204 syndrome 197 coronavirus 188 risk 170 outcome 159 analysis 157 pandemic 146 time 145 treatment 141 p 135 day 130 virus 129 therapy 129 author 128 manifestation 125 care 125 age 122 level 119 brain 118 n 115 year 114 severity 113 hospital 113 factor 113 admission 109 mortality 107 finding 105 population 102 period 100 impact 98 complication 96 system 96 cell 94 status 93 test 92 association 91 change 90 score 90 review 90 rate 90 evidence 89 report Top 50 proper nouns; "What are the names of persons or places?" -------------------------------------------------------------- 516 COVID-19 434 SARS 290 CoV-2 150 MS 143 CSF 138 ICU 89 IOS 87 Guillain 81 MRI 81 China 75 PA 74 GBS 72 Barré 63 Wuhan 63 PCR 59 CNS 58 al 58 Fig 57 CVD 55 CT 48 et 46 Health 45 CI 41 PD 39 Neurol 39 J 39 DOI 39 CoV 38 April 38 . 35 mg 35 Table 35 RT 34 B. 33 NMD 33 Coronavirus 32 March 32 Creative 32 Commons 32 ACE2 27 sha 27 COV-2 26 Italy 26 IgG 25 II 23 Parkinson 23 ICH 23 DMT 23 COVID 22 National Top 50 personal pronouns nouns; "To whom are things referred?" ------------------------------------------------------------- 328 we 188 it 54 they 46 she 24 them 19 he 16 you 16 itself 13 i 6 us 6 themselves 6 one 1 pwmnd 1 pcs-12 1 ours 1 her Top 50 lemmatized verbs; "What do things do?" --------------------------------------------- 2773 be 632 have 240 include 236 report 195 show 191 associate 123 use 119 increase 106 present 97 compare 94 perform 90 do 90 develop 88 follow 85 relate 77 confirm 76 cause 71 observe 70 consider 70 admit 69 suggest 64 treat 64 find 60 assess 58 base 57 identify 57 describe 56 indicate 55 affect 52 provide 49 remain 49 receive 49 occur 49 covid-19 48 require 48 hospitalize 47 note 47 infect 46 lead 45 need 45 know 44 demonstrate 42 make 42 diagnose 41 give 39 result 39 reduce 39 define 38 contribute 38 accord Top 50 lemmatized adjectives and adverbs; "How are things described?" --------------------------------------------------------------------- 346 neurological 305 not 285 covid-19 275 clinical 231 acute 208 severe 197 - 183 respiratory 178 high 169 other 165 more 142 also 115 old 109 well 106 only 101 however 100 ischemic 97 such 97 first 94 most 85 low 84 viral 83 specific 83 multiple 78 non 76 as 75 negative 74 possible 73 novel 71 significant 71 neurologic 71 available 69 nervous 67 large 66 normal 63 early 62 long 61 physical 61 common 60 thus 56 mental 55 positive 54 potential 54 cerebrovascular 53 likely 51 hemorrhagic 50 new 49 different 48 mild 48 general Top 50 lemmatized superlative adjectives; "How are things described to the extreme?" ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 27 most 12 high 9 least 8 Most 7 good 6 large 4 strong 4 early 1 rare 1 poor 1 near 1 mild 1 low 1 great 1 big Top 50 lemmatized superlative adverbs; "How do things do to the extreme?" ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 67 most 5 least 1 worst Top 50 Internet domains; "What Webbed places are alluded to in this corpus?" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7 creat 1 creativecommons Top 50 URLs; "What is hyperlinked from this corpus?" ---------------------------------------------------- 7 http://creat 1 http://creativecommons Top 50 email addresses; "Who are you gonna call?" ------------------------------------------------- 1 s.buchanan@ucl.ac.uk 1 d.cash@ucl.ac.uk Top 50 positive assertions; "What sentences are in the shape of noun-verb-noun?" ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4 csf was negative 4 data are available 4 infection causes neuronal 3 infection were more 3 patients developed respiratory 2 % were female 2 % were hyposmic 2 case report guillain 2 cov-2 associated guillain 2 cov-2 was negative 2 covid-19 are not 2 covid-19 was not 2 csf was not 2 diseases are more 2 manifestation had shorter 2 manifestations include anosmia 2 patient was still 2 patients are vulnerable 2 patients did not 2 patients had neurological 2 patients had positive 2 patients have not 2 patients showed lower 2 patients were still 2 patients were women 2 studies assessing interventions 2 study has limitations 1 % did not 1 % had at 1 % had hyposmia 1 % indicated absent 1 % reported hypogeusia 1 % showed clinical 1 % were aware 1 % were unsure 1 % were ≥70-yearold 1 analyses comparing oi 1 analyses were not 1 analysis are consistent 1 analysis following prisma 1 analysis included data 1 analysis including individual 1 analysis showed normal 1 analysis showed po 1 analysis was abnormal 1 analysis was generally 1 authors describe nervous 1 care including physical 1 care is probably 1 care is still Top 50 negative assertions; "What sentences are in the shape of noun-verb-no|not-noun?" --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2 covid-19 are not rare 1 authors had no conflict 1 authors have no conflicts 1 authors have no relevant 1 authors report no disclosures 1 authors report no potential 1 cases is not well 1 covid-19 was not skewed 1 csf was not constant 1 data are not definitive 1 data were not available 1 disease were not available 1 infection is not solely 1 outcomes was not yet 1 patients had no neurological 1 patients have no recollection 1 patients have not yet 1 patients present not only 1 patients was not well 1 stroke were not available 1 strokes were no longer A rudimentary bibliography -------------------------- id = cord-338751-2eo7ityc author = Anzalone, Nicoletta title = Multifocal laminar cortical brain lesions: a consistent MRI finding in neuro-COVID-19 patients date = 2020-06-06 keywords = MRI; SARS summary = title: Multifocal laminar cortical brain lesions: a consistent MRI finding in neuro-COVID-19 patients They are part of a series of 21 patients presenting with neurological symptoms studied with brain MRI with otherwise no significant imaging findings. Although the predominantly parieto-occipital distribution of the lesions recalls posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) [5] , the prevalent cortical involvement and diffusion MRI pattern are not typical of PRES. More recently, evidence of direct viral infection of the endothelial cell and diffuse endothelial inflammation has been reported, resulting Fig. 1 Forty-seven-year-old man diagnosed with COVID-19 and presenting neurological signs of agitation and spatial disorientation after weaning from mechanical ventilation. Multiple, cortical areas of punctiform and gyriform FLAIR and DWI hyperintensity (arrows) in both parietal lobes, with no ADC changes Fig. 2 Fifty-four-year-old woman diagnosed with COVID-19 and presenting neurological signs of agitation and spatial disorientation after weaning from mechanical ventilation. doi = 10.1007/s00415-020-09966-2 id = cord-270596-31g9hlm9 author = Bracaglia, Martina title = Acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuritis in association with an asymptomatic infection by SARS-CoV-2 date = 2020-06-25 keywords = Barré summary = To our knowledge, this is the first case of GBS in patient with asymptomatic COVID-19 and laboratory tests consistent with SARS-COV-2 infection. Interesting in our case a patient asymptomatic for COVID-19 develops neurological impairment as a unique clinical event, probably as part of dysimmune process. We believe this association may not be a coincidence, more cases could be evaluated, possibly supported by serological and CSF tests, and underlines the importance of looking for neurological impairment in COVID-19 disease and address the correct treatment, such as IvIg, also for respiratory function worsening independently from pneumonitis. Guillain-Barré syndrome associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection: causality or coincidence? Guillain-Barré syndrome associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection Early Guillain-Barré syndrome in Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): a case report from an Italian COVID-hospital Facial diplegia, a possible atypical variant of Guillain-Barré Syndrome as a rare neurological complication of SARS-CoV-2 Guillan-Barré syndrome associated with COVID-19 infection: A case report doi = 10.1007/s00415-020-10014-2 id = cord-260856-15k7pkh5 author = Buchanan, Sarah M. title = Olfactory testing does not predict β-amyloid, MRI measures of neurodegeneration or vascular pathology in the British 1946 birth cohort date = 2020-06-24 keywords = UPSIT summary = OBJECTIVE: To explore the value of olfactory identification deficits as a predictor of cerebral β-amyloid status and other markers of brain health in cognitively normal adults aged ~ 70 years. 389 largely healthy and cognitively normal older adults were recruited from the MRC National Survey of Health and Development (1946 British Birth cohort) and investigated for olfactory identification deficits, as measured by the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test. Outcome measures were imaging markers of brain health derived from 3 T MRI scanning (cortical thickness, entorhinal cortex thickness, white matter hyperintensity volumes); (18)F florbetapir amyloid-PET scanning; and cognitive testing results. In the current study, we explored associations between OI and markers of cerebral β-amyloid deposition (using 18 F-florbetapir PET scanning), neurodegeneration, and cognition in a uniquely well-characterised cohort of near identical age drawn from the MRC National Survey of Health and Development (NSHD; the British 1946 birth cohort). doi = 10.1007/s00415-020-10004-4 id = cord-346530-o65m0whe author = Chaumont, H. title = Mixed central and peripheral nervous system disorders in severe SARS-CoV-2 infection date = 2020-06-12 keywords = SARS summary = title: Mixed central and peripheral nervous system disorders in severe SARS-CoV-2 infection We report four cases of severe COVID-19 in male patients aged 50-70 with the combination of central and peripheral nervous system disorders occurring unexpectedly late after the first symptoms. Several acute neurological syndromes have been associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection, including anosmia and ageusia [1, 2] , meningoencephalitis [3, 4] , acute hemorrhagic necrotizing encephalopathy [5] , axonal or demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy [6] [7] [8] , polyneuritis cranialis [8] . They consisted of miscellaneous symptoms such as confusion, cognitive dysfunction (memory deficit, frontal syndrome), psychiatric disorders (paranoid delusion, hallucinations), weakness, pyramidal signs, dysautonomia, swallowing dysfunction, vertical supranuclear eye palsy, upper limbs myoclonus, fasciculation and focal muscle atrophy (Table 1) . COVID-19-associated acute hemorrhagic necrotizing encephalopathy: CT and MRI features Neurologic features in severe SARS-CoV-2 infection doi = 10.1007/s00415-020-09986-y id = cord-301162-ux40twpt author = Chiaravalloti, Nancy D. title = The emotional impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on individuals with progressive multiple sclerosis date = 2020-08-19 keywords = COVID-19; PMS; depression summary = During study closure, a COVID Impact Survey was administered via telephone or email to all participants, along with measures of depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, quality of life, and MS symptomatology that were previously administered pre-pandemic. All participants additionally completed selected Patient-Reported Outcomes (PROs) that were previously administered at study enrollment (baseline) to evaluate changes in depression, anxiety, quality of life (QOL), and MS symptomatology during the time period in which lockdown restrictions were in place. Despite the fact that the majority of participants reported some impact of the virus on their psychological well-being on the COVID Impact Interview, we saw little change in regard to symptoms of depression and anxiety and overall QOL on standardized PROs. The international composition of our sample indicates that these findings are largely consistent across widely dispersed geographical locations. doi = 10.1007/s00415-020-10160-7 id = cord-012560-p5s0p7fd author = Decavèle, Maxens title = One-year survival of patients with high-grade glioma discharged alive from the intensive care unit date = 2020-08-29 keywords = HGG; ICU; patient summary = We sought to quantify 1-year mortality and evaluate the association between mortality and (1) functional status, and (2) management of anticancer therapy in patients with high-grade glioma discharged alive from the intensive care unit. On multivariate logistic regression analysis, two factors were independently associated with lower mortality 1 year after ICU admission: continuation of anticancer therapy after ICU discharge (OR 0.18, 95% CI 0.03-0.75, p = 0.028), and Karnofsky performance status at ICU admission (OR 0.90, 95% CI 0.85-0.95, p < 0.001). The main results of the study can be summarized as follows: in HGG patients discharged alive after an unplanned medical ICU stay (1), we observed a substantial proportion of survivors 1 year after ICU admission (more than one quarter of patients) and most of these patients exhibited relatively favorable performance status even 1 year after ICU admission, (2) continuation of anticancer therapy was possible in almost 50% of patients and was strongly associated with cancer progression and use of corticosteroids at admission, and (3) continuation of anticancer therapy and Karnofsky performance status at admission were associated with higher 1-year survival rates. doi = 10.1007/s00415-020-10191-0 id = cord-320149-3q4q98a6 author = Di Carlo, Davide Tiziano title = Exploring the clinical association between neurological symptoms and COVID-19 pandemic outbreak: a systematic review of current literature date = 2020-08-01 keywords = SARS; covid-19; patient summary = An increasing body of evidence suggests that patients with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) might have a heterogeneous spectrum of neurological symptoms METHODS: A systematic search of two databases was performed for studies published up to May 29th, 2020. The pathophysiology of this association is under investigation and warrants additional studies, Physicians should be aware of this possible association because during the epidemic period of COVID-19, early recognition of neurologic manifestations otherwise not explained would raise the suspect of acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection. Our systematic review of 2499 patients reported the occurrence of a wide spectrum of neurologic complications in hospitalized patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 infection, supporting the possible neuroinvasive potential of SARS-CoV-2. Recently, several case reports described the occurrence of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke (see supplementary material 1), confirming the association of cerebrovascular complications with severe COVID-19 infection, older age, and the presence of multiple comorbidity [46, 47] . doi = 10.1007/s00415-020-09978-y id = cord-279511-s9h1jzzs author = Di Stefano, Vincenzo title = Significant reduction of physical activity in patients with neuromuscular disease during COVID-19 pandemic: the long-term consequences of quarantine date = 2020-07-13 keywords = NMD; covid-19 summary = title: Significant reduction of physical activity in patients with neuromuscular disease during COVID-19 pandemic: the long-term consequences of quarantine Hence, the aim of this study was to estimate the levels of PA, measured as energy expenditure (MET–minute/week), among patients with neuromuscular disease (NMD) before and during the last week of quarantine. In healthy controls, a significant reduction of PA was reported during quarantine compared to before quarantine for vigorous-intensity PA (p = 0.04), moderate-intensity PA (p = 0.01), walking activity (p < 0.0001), total PA level (p < 0.0001) and MVPA level (p = 0.001). Finally, it has to be considered that a more sensible muscle mass loss is reported following physical inactivity in older people and in neuromuscular disease, compared to healthy young subjects [10, 13] . This was in agreement with a recent study that reported a high level of total weekly energy expenditure before the COVID-19 quarantine in healthy subjects [25] . doi = 10.1007/s00415-020-10064-6 id = cord-308288-3ewdy5l3 author = Domingues, Renan Barros title = First case of SARS-COV-2 sequencing in cerebrospinal fluid of a patient with suspected demyelinating disease date = 2020-06-20 keywords = SARS summary = However, no case has been described of an association between the novel coronavirus (SARS-COV-2) and CNS demyelinating disease so far. Here, we report a case of a patient with mild respiratory symptoms and neurological manifestations compatible with clinically isolated syndrome. The viral genome of SARS-COV-2 was detected and sequenced in CSF with 99.74–100% similarity between the patient virus and worldwide sequences. This report suggests a possible association of SARS-COV-2 infection with neurological symptoms of demyelinating disease, even in the absence of relevant upper respiratory tract infection signs. The viral genome was demonstrated by RT-PCR technique in cerebrospinal fluid sample (CSF), suggesting that the virus has the ability to infect central nervous system (CNS) [1] . However, no case has been described of an association between SARS-COV-2 and CNS demyelinating disease so far. This case report suggests a possible association between CNS focal symptoms compatible with demyelinating disease and SARS-COV-2 infection. doi = 10.1007/s00415-020-09996-w id = cord-011302-pfepyvaw author = Edlmann, Ellie title = The changing face of neurosurgery for the older person date = 2020-04-25 keywords = old; outcome; patient summary = In this review, we consider changes in practice and current treatment outcomes in older patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage, traumatic head injury, and haemorrhagic strokes. A recent systematic review of endovascular treatment of ruptured aneurysms in patients aged over 65 reported good outcomes in 66%, with a mortality rate of around 26% at 1 year [36] . Koffijberg analysed the cost-effectiveness of treating ruptured aneurysms in patients aged over 70, identifying key parameters including patient age (and thus life expectancy), good or poor clinical condition on presentation, conservative or occlusive treatment (clipping or coiling) and good or poor outcomes [18] . This is supported by collaborations such as IMPACT (International Mission for Prognosis and Analysis of Clinical Trials in TBI) and CRASH (Corticosteroid Randomisation After Significant Head injury), who have used available evidence to develop prognostic calculators for TBI, where age is a corestratifying component and significantly increases chances of a poor outcome [17, 38] . doi = 10.1007/s00415-020-09854-9 id = cord-285574-i0dh1u5i author = Ferini-Strambi, Luigi title = COVID-19 and neurological disorders: are neurodegenerative or neuroimmunological diseases more vulnerable? date = 2020-07-21 keywords = SARS; covid-19 summary = The main goal of this viewpoint review is to assess the vulnerability to SARS-CoV-2 infection and development of COVID-19 among neurological disorders with different pathogenesis and age-related targets such as neurodegenerative vs neuroimmunological diseases. Since SARS-CoV-2 effects on neurodegenerative, as well as neuroimmune diseases, might vary across the different pathogenesis and clinical features, we consider the evidence within three sections: (i) vulnerability to the infection; (ii) modification of the clinical course of disease, in relation to clinical neurological manifestations, disease progression and innovative strategies, to support clinicians in the management of the disease; (iii) trigger for future neurodegeneration. Taken together, these findings suggest that although PD patients may represent a particularly vulnerable population for age-related target, respiratory muscle rigidity related to the disease, and presence of several comorbidities, PD by itself do not appears increase the risk of being infected by SARS-CoV-2 and developing COVID-19 ( Fig. 1) . doi = 10.1007/s00415-020-10070-8 id = cord-351896-j6h02ab5 author = Ghannam, Malik title = Neurological involvement of coronavirus disease 2019: a systematic review date = 2020-06-19 keywords = COVID-19; SARS; neurological; patient summary = The following search strategy was implemented and these keywords and their synonyms (in the all fields) were combined in each database as follows: ("COVID 19" OR "coronavirus") AND ("brain" OR "CNS" OR "spinal cord" OR "nerve" OR "neurologic" OR "stroke" OR "cerebrovascular" OR "cerebral vein thrombosis" OR "sinus thrombosis" OR "Intracerebral hemorrhage" OR "hemorrhage" OR "myelitis" OR "GBS" OR "Guillain Barre syndrome" OR "neuropathy" OR "radiculopathy" OR "cranial neuropathy" OR "myopathy" OR "myositis" OR "rhabdomyolysis" OR "encephalitis" OR "encephalopathy" OR "meningitis" OR "meningoencephalitis" OR "seizure" OR "convulsion" OR "epilepsy") [ Fig. 1 ]. [11] For each study, the following descriptive, microbiological, and clinical information was extracted: patient demographic data, SARS-CoV-2 testing from nasal swab and CSF, neurological symptoms and signs and their onset in relation to respiratory or gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms or anosmia or dysgeusia, any neurological investigations and CSF or any other relevant laboratory testing (such as CK, LDH, CRP, D-dimer, lupus anticoagulant, fibrinogen, ganglioside antibodies), neurological diagnosis, occurrence of respiratory failure (defined as need for intubation, abnormal PO2 in blood gas, or Glasgow Coma Scale score less than or equal 8), treatments administered for the neurological diagnosis, and final outcome. doi = 10.1007/s00415-020-09990-2 id = cord-345200-rxv9batt author = Gigli, Gian Luigi title = Guillain-Barré syndrome in the COVID-19 era: just an occasional cluster? date = 2020-05-19 keywords = Barré summary = In 2020, from March 1st to April 15th, we observed instead seven new cases diagnosed as GBS, in addition to a relapse in one more patient. Considering a population of 535,516 inhabitants in the province of Udine (2017 census), the monthly incidence in March-April period of previous years was 0.12 new cases/100.000 inhabitants per month (in line with the epidemiological literature [1, 2] ) versus 0.65 cases/100.000 inhabitants per month during the ongoing pandemic. Despite the serologic and swab negativity of the others, we think that the association with the descending slope of SARS-CoV-2 infection should still be evaluated, since the specificity and sensitivity of these tests are not yet completely assessed and the exact slope of the humoral immune response curve to this new virus is still unknown. Guillain-Barré syndrome associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection: causality or coincidence? Guillain-Barré syndrome associated with Zika virus infection in Colombia doi = 10.1007/s00415-020-09911-3 id = cord-340984-blkhfhe2 author = Gklinos, Panagiotis title = Neurological manifestations of COVID-19: a review of what we know so far date = 2020-05-26 keywords = COVID-19; SARS; patient summary = Prompt diagnosis and immediate management of the neurological manifestations of the novel coronavirus will not only improve the prognosis of COVID-19 patients but will also prevent the dissemination of the disease due to misdiagnosed cases. COVID-19 is confirmed to be caused by a novel coronavirus (2019 novel coronavirus, 2019-nCoV) and presents with symptoms similar to those of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) in 2003. However, neurological manifestations of the novel coronavirus are not precepted by all clinicians, thus, leading to inappropriate management of COVID-19 patients presenting with non-specific neurological symptoms initially. This article aims to review the cases, which reported neurological symptoms at presentation or during the course of the disease and discuss the potential mechanisms of Central Nervous System (CNS) involvement in COVID-19. The other study is a retrospective case series in Wuhan, China, which reported the neurological symptoms of COVID-19 patients [13] . doi = 10.1007/s00415-020-09939-5 id = cord-352703-2g7mqnte author = Glasmacher, Stella A. title = The immediate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on motor neuron disease services and mortality in Scotland date = 2020-09-05 keywords = MND summary = title: The immediate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on motor neuron disease services and mortality in Scotland We completed a population-based analysis of the Scottish MND Register, CARE-MND [2] and a clinician survey, to measure the impact of the pandemic on (1) diagnostic rate, (2) mortality rate, and, (3) delivery of services. We compared all-cause mortality between 01/03-01/06 in 2015-2019 (comparator period) and 01/03-01/06 2020 (COVID-19 period) using multivariable Poisson regression including age (< 50, 50-70, > 70 years) and year (2015-2020) as independent variables. We performed Chi-squared test to compare socioeconomic status (SIMD) [3] between those who died and survivors during the COVID-19 period. There was no difference in all-cause mortality between the COVID-19 and comparator periods (pooled regression coefficient 1.09 95% CIs 0.78, 1.53; P = 0.61). Our study is the first to demonstrate at a national level that rates of new MND diagnoses and all-cause mortality in pwMND have thus far been unaffected by COVID-19. doi = 10.1007/s00415-020-10207-9 id = cord-338979-ew046wcr author = Jasti, Madhu title = A review of pathophysiology and neuropsychiatric manifestations of COVID-19 date = 2020-06-03 keywords = COVID-19; China; SARS summary = This novel coronavirus reportedly had symptoms resembling that of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus (SARS-CoV) seen in the year 2003 [3] . A recently published study that looked at 214 cases of severe coronavirus illness treated in Wuhan during the early phase of the global pandemic reported that about 36% of patients displayed neurological symptoms [11] . There have been a fair number of reports suggesting SARS-CoV-2 infecting the neurons, raising questions about the direct effects of the virus on the brain that play a role in patients'' deaths. By contrast, there have been a few case reports which mention no penetrance of virus into the central nervous system as evidenced by the absence of SARS-CoV-2 in CSF and that the CNS effects are secondary to elevated inflammatory markers as CSF analyses during the acute stage showed pleocytosis with increased IL-8 and TNF-α concentrations [17] . doi = 10.1007/s00415-020-09950-w id = cord-025749-mip9mkef author = Jo, Sungyang title = Newly developed stroke in patients admitted to non-neurological intensive care units date = 2020-06-02 keywords = ICU; IOS; patient summary = OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate characteristics and outcomes of newly developed stroke in patients admitted to the non-neurological intensive care units (ICU-onset stroke, IOS). In multivariable analysis, the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) score (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.04, 95% CI = 1.03−1.06, P < 0.001), prothrombin time (AOR = 0.99, 95% CI = 0.98−0.99, P = 0.013), cardiovascular surgery (AOR = 1.84, 95% CI = 1.34−2.50, P < 0.001), mechanical ventilation (AOR = 6.75, 95% CI = 4.87−9.45, P < 0.001), and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (AOR = 2.77, 95% CI = 1.62−4.55, P < 0.001) were related to the development of IOS. (Table I The main reasons for delays in stroke recognition included the use of sedative agents following surgery (n = 51) or mechanical ventilation (n = 29), presumed metabolic encephalopathy (n = 18), and missed findings of neurological deficits during routine hourly evaluations (n = 4) (as described for 102 patients who had such a time interval beyond the median time of 8.9 h). doi = 10.1007/s00415-020-09955-5 id = cord-312167-d16ylykc author = Lazzarin, Serena Marita title = Successful treatment of HIV-associated tumefactive demyelinating lesions with corticosteroids and cyclophosphamide: a case report date = 2020-11-03 keywords = HIV; tumefactive summary = title: Successful treatment of HIV-associated tumefactive demyelinating lesions with corticosteroids and cyclophosphamide: a case report Two days after the last dose, a follow-up brain MRI showed dimensional decrease of both frontal lesions, with disappearance of mass effect; gadolinium enhancement was substantially decreased (Fig. 1 ). A clinical and neuroradiological 6-month follow-up has been scheduled to assess the stability of patient''s condition; [4] , but we cannot even exclude a direct role for HIV in the demyelinating process. Based on our experience, a treatment with cyclophosphamide may be a valid alternative in steroid-resistant HIV patients with TDLs. Author contributions SML contributed to paper conception, data collection, analysis and interpretation, literature review and paper drafting. Fig. 1 (1) Serial 1.5-T MRI axial brain scans, performed after admission (a), at one (b) and 3 months (c) after the clinical onset of a frontal lobe syndrome due to large tumefactive demyelinating lesions. doi = 10.1007/s00415-020-10296-6 id = cord-338928-y5l7cf31 author = Leonardi, Matilde title = Neurological manifestations associated with COVID-19: a review and a call for action date = 2020-05-20 keywords = COVID-19; SARS summary = While the epidemic of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continues to spread globally, more and more evidences are collected about the presence of neurological manifestations and symptoms associated with it. The review shows that although more and more papers are reporting neurological manifestations associated with COVID-19; however, many items remain unclear and this uncertainty calls for a global action that requires close coordination and open-data sharing between hospitals, academic institutions and the fast establishment of harmonised research priorities and research consortia to face the NeuroCOVID-19 complications. Reports are emerging from China and Italy and increasingly from several countries of neurological symptoms associated with SARS-CoV-2, which may be worsening clinical pictures, respiratory outcomes and mortality rates in patients with COVID-19. Observations from Italy have confirmed Chinese data noting a high number of patients with hyposmia, anosmia and varying patterns of possibly centrally mediated symptoms including respiratory manifestations. Mechanisms of host defense following severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus (SARS-CoV) pulmonary infection of mice doi = 10.1007/s00415-020-09896-z id = cord-257310-wqu7t44n author = Maideniuc, Catalina title = Acute necrotizing myelitis and acute motor axonal neuropathy in a COVID-19 patient date = 2020-08-09 keywords = CSF; SARS summary = A 61-year-old woman with COVID 19 infection developed acute necrotizing myelitis (ANM) and acute motor axonal neuropathy (AMAN), a rare variant of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) without systemic signs of infection. Here we present a unique case of COVID 19 patients with acute necrotizing myelitis (ANM) and acute motor axonal neuropathy (AMAN), a rare variant of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) without systemic signs of infection. However, MRI Cervical spine showed patchy T2 hyperintensities within the central cord extending from below the foreman magnum, proximal Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (https ://doi.org/10.1007/s0041 5-020-10145 -6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. The patient had a spinal fluid analysis that showed a hemorrhagic tap (red blood cells 312/mm 3 ) with normal white blood cells (3/mm 3) elevated protein (87 mg/ dl) and glucose (73 mg/dl). Acute necrotizing encephalitis, myelitis and variants of GBS such as axonal, demyelinating, and Miller Fisher Syndrome have been reported with the COVID 19 [2] [3] [4] [5] . doi = 10.1007/s00415-020-10145-6 id = cord-005014-qp4rrwr4 author = Martin, R. title = Persistent intrathecal secretion of oligoclonal, Borrelia burgdorferi-specific IgG in chronic meningoradiculomyelitis date = 1988 keywords = CSF; igg summary = The diagnosis is confirmed by high titres of serum and CSF antibodies, specific for Borrelia burgdorferi, which has recently been identified as the aetiological agent of Lyme disease and Bannwarth''s syndrome [2] . The purpose of our study was to answer the questions whether the CSF immunoglobulin G (IgG) in lymphomeningoradiculitis is locally produced, whether its antigen specificity can be determined, and whether the persistence of a specific distribution pattern can be recorded over the course of the disease. In the present study, we used a rapid and sensitive immunoblotting technique [6] to detect and characterize intrathecally produced IgG in five patients suffering from chronic meningoradiculitis (Bannwarth''s syndrome) or radiculomyelitis. The presence of oligoclonal IgG bands in the CSF and not in the serum of patients suffering from meningoradiculitis or radiculomyelitis strongly favours the intrathecal production of these antibodies and was firstly demonstrated by Kriiger et al. doi = 10.1007/bf00314352 id = cord-320755-0zpnwl2k author = Mateen, Farrah J. title = Impact of COVID-19 on U.S. and Canadian neurologists’ therapeutic approach to multiple sclerosis: a survey of knowledge, attitudes, and practices date = 2020-07-07 keywords = COVID-19; DMT summary = The overall objectives of this study were threefold: (1) to report the range of impacts of COVID-19 on neuroimmunologists'' practice across the USA and Canada; (2) to probe the MS DMT prescribing decisions and planning of neuroimmunologists in the setting of a viral pandemic; and (3) determine the unmet needs and sources of uncertainty that dominate the care of MS patients. Rather than emphasizing fact checking, the survey queried awareness of local COVID-19 cases and patients'' health practices, impressions and worries on the risk of COVID-19 to patients taking MS DMTs, and prescribing patterns in various special situations, naming the exact DMTs. As an example, issues related to older patients with MS were queried, defined as age 55 years and older (given the usual age cutoff for most DMT trials to date) or 60 years and older (given the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention''s general consideration of people aged 60 years and older as a higher risk group) [11] , depending on the question. doi = 10.1007/s00415-020-10045-9 id = cord-355841-m6dl8a0w author = Munz, Maike title = Acute transverse myelitis after COVID-19 pneumonia date = 2020-05-26 keywords = SARS summary = A repeated throat swab showed a negative SARS-CoV2 PCR. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the spine revealed T2 signal hyperintensity of the thoracic spinal cord at Th9 level suggestive of acute transverse myelitis rather than multiple sclerosis [3] (Fig. 1a) . SARS-CoV2-PCR in the CSF and oligoclonal bands were negative. Follow-up MRI on day 6 further showed a patchy hyperintensity of the thoracic myelon at Th9-10 and at Th3-5 level (Fig. 1d) , suggestive of transverse myelitis. Follow-up CSF on day 12 showed normalization of cell count (3/µl) and regressing protein levels (734 mg/l), no Maike Munz and Swen Weßendorf authors contributed equally. Cases of Guillain-Barré Syndrome in association with severe COVID-19 infections were reported [6] . In a series of 58 severely affected COVID-19 patients, 67% showed clinical corticospinal tract signs but received no spinal MRI [7] . Preprint) Acute myelitis after SARS-CoV-2 infection: A case report https doi = 10.1007/s00415-020-09934-w id = cord-266923-hd1tjj6b author = Padroni, Marina title = Guillain-Barré syndrome following COVID-19: new infection, old complication? date = 2020-04-24 keywords = GBS; SARS summary = Taking together all these findings, the causal association between GBS and COVID-19 remains speculative, but more probable, given that GBS and Bickerstaff''s encephalitis have been already described as postinfectious complications of other coronavirus, sharing similarities with SARS-CoV-2 (Middle East respiratory syndrome, MERS-CoV) [11] . If our hypothesis will be confirmed in larger case series, neurologists and other clinicians should be aware of the important early recognition and treatment of the potential neuromuscular and autonomic worsening leading to cardio-respiratory failure in patients with GBS and mild or controlled pulmonary COVID-19 Notwithstanding the causative relationship remains unproved, we believe that our case description provide further evidence to the heterogenous and multi-systemic complications associated with SARS-CoV-2. Neurological manifestations of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 in Wuhan, China: a retrospective case series study Guillain-Barré syndrome associated with SARS CoV-2 infection: causality or coincidence Toscana virus associated with Guillain-Barré syndrome: a case-control study doi = 10.1007/s00415-020-09849-6 id = cord-331423-5wpx0bd0 author = Pelea, Teodor title = SARS-CoV-2 associated Guillain–Barré syndrome date = 2020-08-08 keywords = Barré; GBS; SARS summary = Presented herein is a severe case of SARS-CoV-2 associated Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS), showing only slight improvement despite adequate therapy. Therefore patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection are at risk of being affected by coincident immune-mediated neurological diseases such as GBS. Severe course of GBS-associated SARS-CoV-2 infections occur also in patients with mild respiratory symptoms, but must be taken into account with seriously ill cases. To date, the previously described courses of the SARS-CoV-2 infection-associated GBS do not describe a special clinical pattern. Taking into account that GBS can cause a considerable impairment of the respiratory system, clinicians dealing with SARS-CoV-2 positive-tested patients should have to pay attention to symptoms of the peripheral nervous system. Taking into account that GBS can cause a considerable impairment of the respiratory system, clinicians dealing with SARS-CoV-2 positive-tested patients should have to pay attention to symptoms of the peripheral nervous system. doi = 10.1007/s00415-020-10133-w id = cord-345437-j3akzx10 author = Perry, Richard title = What has caused the fall in stroke admissions during the COVID-19 pandemic? date = 2020-06-29 keywords = stroke summary = During the current COVID-19 pandemic there has been a decline in stroke admissions in centres all over the world [1, 2] and no doubt this phenomenon has contributed to the sharp fall in the number of patients attending Emergency Departments in England during March 2020 [3] . These are the patients most likely to decide to manage their stroke at home, perhaps for fear of the risk of contracting COVID-19 whilst in hospital. They are the most likely to have their neurological symptoms missed at a time of severe respiratory illness from the virus, or to be turned away from overstretched emergency services rather than being directed into the stroke pathway [4] . Figure 1 shows the distribution of stroke severities (using the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale) in admissions to our Hyperacute Stroke Unit for two 40-day periods: before the decline in emergency admissions in England [3] (1st February to 12th March, blue triangles) and after it (1st April to 11th May 2020, red circles). doi = 10.1007/s00415-020-10030-2 id = cord-340468-3s3dv88w author = Plumereau, Cécile title = Effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on acute stroke reperfusion therapy: data from the Lyon Stroke Center Network date = 2020-09-09 keywords = covid-19 summary = METHODS: We conducted a prospective data collection of patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) treated with intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) and/or mechanical thrombectomy (MT) during the COVID-19 period (from 29/02/2020 to 10/05/2020) and a control period (from 29/02/2019 to 10/05/2019). Although some studies have reported an impact of the pandemic on acute ischemic stroke (AIS) care in terms of admissions and reperfusion therapy volumes along with longer treatment times and a decrease in the use of stroke imaging compared with control periods in 2019, other reports have not detected significant effects on revascularization procedures [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] . The objective of our study was to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the volume of AIS patients treated with intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) and/or mechanical thrombectomy (MT), as well as pre and intra-hospital delays ( Fig. 1 ). doi = 10.1007/s00415-020-10199-6 id = cord-266135-jbc9nml0 author = Princiotta Cariddi, Lucia title = Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome (PRES) in a COVID-19 patient date = 2020-06-24 keywords = PRES; SARS summary = title: Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome (PRES) in a COVID-19 patient Besides pneumonia, it has been demonstrated that SARS-CoV-2 infection affects multiple organs, including brain tissues, causing different neurological manifestations, especially acute cerebrovascular disease (ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke), impaired consciousness and skeletal muscle injury. To our knowledge, among neurological disorders associated with SARS-CoV2 infection, no Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome (PRES) has been described yet. Herein, we report a case of a 64-year old woman with COVID19 infection who developed a PRES, and we suggest that it could be explained by the disruption of the blood brain barrier induced by the cerebrovascular endothelial dysfunction caused by SARS-CoV-2. Brain CT and CTA were consistent with hemorrhagic Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome (PRES; Fig. 1a, b) . Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome in infection, sepsis, and shock Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) and infection: a systematic review of the literature Hemorrhagic posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome as a manifestation of COVID-19 infection doi = 10.1007/s00415-020-10001-7 id = cord-298894-t5hyfum3 author = Rifino, Nicola title = Neurologic manifestations in 1760 COVID-19 patients admitted to Papa Giovanni XXIII Hospital, Bergamo, Italy date = 2020-10-07 keywords = CSF; SARS; covid-19; patient summary = Neurological manifestations were classified as: (a) cerebrovascular disease [53 pts (38.7%)] including 37 ischemic and 11 haemorrhagic strokes, 4 transient ischemic attacks, 1 cerebral venous thrombosis; (b) peripheral nervous system diseases [31 (22.6%)] including 17 Guillain–Barrè syndromes; (c) altered mental status [49 (35.8%)] including one necrotizing encephalitis and 2 cases with RT-PCR detection of SARS-Cov-2 RNA in CSF; (d) miscellaneous disorders, among whom 2 patients with myelopathy associated with Ab anti-SARS-CoV-2 in CSF. COVID-19 diagnosis was confirmed: (1) by real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase-chain-reaction (RT-PCR) on nasopharyngeal specimens [13] ; or (2) by RT-PCR on bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) obtained by bronchoscopy in case of high clinical suspicion of SARS-CoV-2 infection and negative test results on at least two nasopharyngeal swabs performed at least 24 h apart; or (3) in the presence of characteristic radiological interstitial pneumonia associated with typical symptoms (fever, dry cough, dyspnea), even with negative RT-PCR, with no other possible aetiologic explanation. doi = 10.1007/s00415-020-10251-5 id = cord-267624-v6e9zzfg author = Rinkel, L. A. title = Impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on acute stroke care date = 2020-07-20 keywords = covid-19 summary = We included consecutive patients who presented to the emergency departments with a suspected stroke and assessed the change in number of patients as an incidence-rate ratio (IRR) using a Poisson regression analysis. We assessed the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on trends in hospital admissions for (suspected) stroke, patient characteristics, and workflow parameters of acute stroke care in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Study outcomes were: (1) change in the number of emergency department presentations; (2) change in proportion of stroke patients treated with IVT and EVT; (3) change in IVT and EVT treatment times; and (4) in-hospital complications. We observed a 24% decrease in the number of patients with a suspected stroke in the hospitals in the Amsterdam area during the height of the COVID-19 outbreak compared to a pre-COVID-19 control period. In summary, we found a substantial decrease in the number of suspected stroke presentations during the COVID-19 outbreak in the Amsterdam area, but no evidence for a change in quality of acute stroke care. doi = 10.1007/s00415-020-10069-1 id = cord-335593-cjb0daps author = Romagnolo, Alberto title = Neurological comorbidity and severity of COVID-19 date = 2020-08-04 keywords = COVID-19; neurological; patient summary = However, no data have been reported yet on the prevalence and the association with infection severity of pre-existing neurological comorbidities in COVID-19 patients. In this study, we evaluated the prevalence of neurological pre-existing comorbidities in a large cohort of patients admitted to ER and diagnosed with COVID-19, estimating their association with infection severity. Patients with neurological comorbidity showed an OR of 2.3 of suffering from severe COVID-19, even after including age and other clinical and demographic characteristics in the multivariate analysis. In conclusion, our study reports the prevalence of different neurological diseases in a large cohort of patients with COVID-19, assessing their association with the infection severity. In our sample, patients with pre-existing neurological diseases showed a significantly higher risk for severe infection, in particular when associated with other comorbidities, suggesting that this population deserves a thorough evaluation since the earliest phases of overt or suspected COVID-19. doi = 10.1007/s00415-020-10123-y id = cord-319805-b6ypt5d0 author = Siepmann, Timo title = Association of history of cerebrovascular disease with severity of COVID-19 date = 2020-08-06 keywords = COVID-19; CVD; clinical; patient summary = We systematically searched electronic databases including MEDLINE (accessed by PubMed), EMBASE and Cochrane Library for identification of all available observational studies that reported on laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 patients aged ≥18 years with information given on disease severity and past history of CVD. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to explore the predictive value of history of CVD for severity outcomes of COVID-19 including clinical severity according to the classification by the National Health Commission guidelines on the Diagnosis and Treatment of COVID-19, in-hospital death and necessity of intensive care [10]. When considering only published data from Chinese cohorts in pooled analysis (n = 1805), history of CVD was also associated with increased risk of severity of COVID-19 (RR 2.39, 95% CI 1.94-2.94; p < 0.0001) with similar results on sensitivity analyses for study-specific severity outcomes (clinical parameters: RR 1.83, 95% CI 1.28-2.63; p = 0.001; necessity of intensive care: RR 2.9, 95% CI 1.61-5.24; p < 0.0001 and in-hospital death: RR 2.14, 95% CI 1.7-2.7; p < 0.0001). doi = 10.1007/s00415-020-10121-0 id = cord-302062-wqmynngg author = Sierra-Hidalgo, Fernando title = Large artery ischemic stroke in severe COVID-19 date = 2020-06-27 keywords = patient; stroke summary = title: Large artery ischemic stroke in severe COVID-19 Among hospitalized patients, stroke occurred a median of 5.5 days after admission (IQR 3.5-7.5). Only one patient met definite TOAST criteria for the diagnosis of large artery atherosclerotic infarction, and another one had a probably cardioembolic stroke due to preexisting atrial fibrillation (incomplete evaluation) [2] . None of the other six patients met diagnostic criteria for atherosclerotic, cardioembolic, or small vessel ischemic stroke (three with cryptogenic strokes, and three with incomplete evaluation). In this series of eight patients, although the evidence is limited by its observational nature and sample size, severe COVID-19 was associated with non-atherosclerotic, large artery ischemic strokes. If larger prospective studies confirm these observations, hypercoagulability associated with COVID-19 might be a contributory cause for large vessel ischemic stroke. Until robust evidence is available, the observation of intraarterial thrombi in the absence of significant atherosclerosis among these patients warrants consideration of individualized enhanced thromboprophylaxis for hospitalized patients with severe forms of SARS-CoV-2 infection. doi = 10.1007/s00415-020-09967-1 id = cord-264647-9r443j3l author = Talamonti, G. title = Spinal epidural abscess in COVID-19 patients date = 2020-09-10 keywords = COVID-19; patient; sea summary = OBJECTIVE: To report the peculiarity of spinal epidural abscess in COVID-19 patients, as we have observed an unusually high number of these patients following the outbreak of SARS-Corona Virus-2. METHODS: We reviewed the clinical documentation of six consecutive COVID-19 patients with primary spinal epidural abscess that we surgically managed over a 2-month period. A primary abscess represents the rarest form of spinal epidural abscess, which is usually secondary to invasive procedures or spread from adjacent infective sites, such as spondylodiscitis, generally occurring in patients with diabetes, obesity, cancer, or other chronic diseases. To our knowledge, cases of spinal epidural abscess in COVID-19 patients have not been reported to date. During the last three months, six patients with SARS-Corona Virus-2 (SARS-COV-2) were referred to us for acute spinal cord syndrome due to primary spinal epidural abscess (SEA) [1] . doi = 10.1007/s00415-020-10211-z id = cord-262598-zk192s0x author = Tatu, Laurent title = Guillain–Barré syndrome in the COVID-19 era: another occasional cluster? date = 2020-06-23 keywords = SARS summary = entitled ''Guillain-Barré syndrome in the COVID-19 era: just an occasional cluster?'' [1] . The authors reported an unusual cluster of seven patients affected by Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) in an Italian region (Friuli Venezia-Giulia), which coincided with the descending curve of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the public health crisis of March-April 2020, we encountered an unusually high number of GBS cases, admitting seven patients. Some authors report a possible correlation between acute symptomatic COVID-19 infection and GBS [4, 5] . Nevertheless, the issue raised by Gigli''s cases and those in this series is different: an abnormally high frequency of GBS amid the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in patients without a COVID infection. Guillain-Barré syndrome in the COVID-19 era: just an occasional cluster? Guillain-Barré syndrome associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection: causality or coincidence? Guillain-Barré syndrome related to COVID-19 infection doi = 10.1007/s00415-020-10005-3 id = cord-334814-stswaiep author = Vogrig, Alberto title = Causality in COVID-19-associated stroke: a uniform case definition for use in clinical research date = 2020-08-01 keywords = CAS; COVID-19 summary = Even if the World Health Organization (WHO) has provided definition for suspected, probable, and confirmed COVID-19 cases, we believe that only patients with laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 should enter in the classification, in addition to clinic-radiological evidence of acute stroke (ischemic or hemorrhagic). Minor criteria were designed to capture additional evidence of a causal and biologically plausible association: (1) onset of stroke few days to 3 weeks after COVID-19 symptoms [3] [4] [5] ,(2) lack of cardiovascular risk factors [1, 8] ,(3) D-dimer and/or lactate dehydrogenase elevation [3] [4] [5] . Typical clinical features of COVID-19-related stroke include large vessel occlusion, multi-territory involvement, and posterior circulation predisposition (Fig. 1a-g) [3] [4] [5] 8 ]. In particular, case 12 was a previously healthy 50-year-old man who developed a posterior circulation stroke 3 days after the onset of COVID-19 symptoms in the context of vertebral artery dissection [7] , consistent with our proposed definition. doi = 10.1007/s00415-020-10103-2 id = cord-268572-uhak283t author = Woo, Marcel S. title = Control of SARS-CoV-2 infection in rituximab-treated neuroimmunological patients date = 2020-07-11 keywords = SARS summary = title: Control of SARS-CoV-2 infection in rituximab-treated neuroimmunological patients However, few details about the effect of individual immunotherapies have been reported, which could instruct us about the immunological control of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Here, we report on two individuals with underlying neuroimmunological diseases who were under stable rituximab therapy-a B cell-depleting monoclonal antibody [6, 7] -when confirmed COVID-19 developed. Patient 2 was a 68-year-old female with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD, diagnosed 2014, EDSS 6.0), who was directly admitted to our intensive care unit (ICU) on March 29th, 2020 with progressive respiratory failure and infection of the urinary tract. She had a B cell count of 25/µL (Ref. 80-500/µL, Supplementary Table 2) at the day of admission and tested negative for SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies (3.5 AU/mL; Ref. In summary, we report on two patients who developed COVID-19 while under treatment with rituximab due to neuroimmunological diseases. Antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 in patients with COVID-19 doi = 10.1007/s00415-020-10046-8 id = cord-325296-zrvykzof author = Zuhorn, Frédéric title = Parainfectious encephalitis in COVID-19: “The Claustrum Sign” date = 2020-09-03 keywords = MRI summary = Follow-up has been carried out four months later showing a normalization in cell count of CSF and improvement of MRI findings, although the claustrum lesions persisted. While immunological markers remained unspecific and imaging findings of acute necrotizing encephalitis were absent in our patient, brain MRI disclosed a unique pattern, a.k.a. the claustrum sign. Common MRI findings in a recent study of COVID-19 encephalopathy were cortical signal abnormalities on FLAIR images (37%), accompanied by diffusion reduction, leptomeningeal enhancement and cortical blooming artifacts in some cases. MRI findings in COVID-19 encephalitis, especially when suggesting autoimmune encephalopathy may imply therapeutic interventions, such as immunosuppressive therapy. Recently, progressive clinical improvement along with a reduction of inflammatory CSF parameters has been observed in COVID-19 encephalitis, following high-dose steroid treatment [11] . In summary, a previously undescribed imaging pattern in parainfectious COVID-19 encephalitis is presented that bears a strong resemblance to MRI findings in autoimmune encephalitic syndromes, such as known from epileptic or encephalitis caused by antineuronal antibodies. doi = 10.1007/s00415-020-10185-y id = cord-263363-2um8ntvi author = de Havenon, Adam title = Excess neurological death in New York City after the emergence of COVID-19 date = 2020-07-20 keywords = covid summary = title: Excess neurological death in New York City after the emergence of COVID-19 Figure 1b shows the concept of excess non-COVID deaths, which averaged 1670/week during 03/21/20-05/30/20. In mid-March 2020, after the rise in COVID-19 infections in NYC, excess non-COVID deaths increased for cerebrovascular and Alzheimer''s disease, but this increase was far less than multiple other causes of death. Lack of widespread COVID-19 testing during this period [4] means that many of the excess non-COVID deaths were likely due to complications from undiagnosed COVID-19. The relatively small 11.8% increase in cerebrovascular death suggests that while stroke may complicate COVID-19 infection, it may not be as fatal as other complications. Despite these limitations, we found that the two most common neurological causes of death, cerebrovascular and Alzheimer''s disease, increased comparatively less than pulmonary, cardiac, and diabetic deaths in NYC during the recent peak of COVID-19 mortality. doi = 10.1007/s00415-020-10084-2