A sydenham chorea attack associated with COVID-19 infection

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Infectious Diseases
• Public Health

Background:

• Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by SARS-CoV-2, has led to a global pandemic with diverse clinical manifestations.
• While respiratory and cardiovascular symptoms are common, neurological involvement in COVID-19 is increasingly recognized, presenting a wide spectrum of phenotypes.
• Existing literature documents various neurological findings and complications associated with COVID-19.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a unique case of chorea in a patient diagnosed with COVID-19.
• To highlight the potential association between COVID-19 infection and the development or exacerbation of choreiform movement disorders.
• To contribute to the understanding of the expanding neurological spectrum of COVID-19.

Main Methods:

• Case report detailing a patient presenting with chorea.
• Clinical observation of chorea onset on the third day of COVID-19 infection.
• Documentation of the patient's subsequent development and improvement of Sydenham chorea.

Main Results:

• The patient exhibited chorea, a neurological disorder characterized by involuntary, rapid, jerky movements.
• Chorea was observed during the course of COVID-19 infection.
• The patient's condition included Sydenham chorea, which subsequently showed improvement.

Conclusions:

• This case represents the first reported instance of chorea associated with COVID-19.
• The findings suggest that COVID-19 may be implicated in triggering or being associated with chorea.
• This report expands the known neurological manifestations of COVID-19, emphasizing the need for awareness of movement disorders in affected patients.