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The Lancet: 34% COVID-19 survivors have neurological and psychiatric disorders
By: Dr. Maria Niu
Previous case reports had described the altered mental problems and psychiatric disorders in people diagnosed with COVID-19 infection. In the latest study (https://doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(21)00084-5) reported by The Lancet Psychiatry on April 6, 2021, the authors confirmed a high incidence of neurological and psychiatric problems in patients in the six months following COVID-19 diagnosis.
In this study, 236,379 patients were enrolled in the primary cohort, while matched control cohort included patients diagnosed with influenza or other respiratory tract infection. The incidence of 14 neurological and psychiatric outcomes are compared between COVID-19 survivors and control groups.
By analyzing the electronic health records, the authors found that the incidence of neurological and psychiatric disorders was 33.62% (95% CI 33.17–34.07) among 236, 379 patients diagnosed with COVID-19. Among 14 mental outcomes, anxiety disorder is the major one, and its incidence reached 17.39% (17.04–17.74). The incidence of intracranial hemorrhage was 0.56% (0.50–0.63), ischemic stroke was 2.10% (1.97–2.23), parkinsonism was 0.11% (0.08–0.14), dementia was 0.67% (0.59–0.75), and psychotic disorder was 1.40% (1.30–1.51). Also, the incidence of neurological and psychiatric disorders is likely related to the severity of COVID-19 infection. The incidence was more significant in patients who required admission to the intensive therapy unit (ITU) or hospitalization.
This study provides strong evidence that COVID-19 is associated with a high risk of neurological and psychiatric disorders six months after diagnosis. Therefore, an additional health monitor and solution system should be established for the COVID-19 patients with mental illnesses.
#COVID19 #neurological #psychiatric #disorders #anxietydisorder #incidence #ITU
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