Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome (PRES) in a COVID-19 patient

J Neurol. 2020 Nov;267(11):3157-3160. doi: 10.1007/s00415-020-10001-7. Epub 2020 Jun 24.

Abstract

Recently WHO has declared novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak a pandemic. Acute respiratory syndrome seems to be the most common manifestation of COVID-19. 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.

Keywords: COVID-19; Endothelial dysfunction; Reversible encephalopathy syndrome PRES.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Letter

MeSH terms

  • Betacoronavirus
  • COVID-19
  • Coronavirus Infections / complications*
  • Coronavirus Infections / pathology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Pandemics
  • Pneumonia, Viral / complications*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / pathology
  • Posterior Leukoencephalopathy Syndrome / pathology
  • Posterior Leukoencephalopathy Syndrome / virology*
  • SARS-CoV-2