Post COVID-19 neurological complications; a meta-analysis

Introduction: Despite numerous studies regarding neurological manifestations and complications of COVID-19, only a few cases of neurological consequences following complete recovery from SARS-CoV-2 infection have been described.

Objectives: The current study aims to present a quantitative meta-analysis of published studies regarding the post-infectious neurological complications of COVID-19.

Data sources: The Web of Science, PubMed, MEDLINE on OVID, and Google scholar were searched for English-language researches published after January 1, 2020.

Result: The review of the literature revealed 60 cases - of which 40 (66.7%) cases were male, and 18 (30%) were female. The average age was 44.95 years. Overall, 17 (28.3%) patients had comorbid conditions. Twenty-four (40%) patients were hospitalized during an active COVID-19 infection. The average interval from the COVID-19 infection to the onset of neurological sequelae was 33.2 days. Guillain-Barre syndrome was the most commonly reported neurological condition (15, 25%).

Conclusion: Despite recovery from acute infection, the pandemic highlights the significance of ongoing, comprehensive follow-up of all COVID-19 patients - even those initially were believed to be asymptomatic.