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Updated: Aug 27, 2025
High Content Screening in Neurodegenerative Diseases
Published on: January 6, 2012
COVID-19 Outcomes in Hospitalized Patients With Neurodegenerative Disease: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Roshni Abee Patel1, Glenn T Stebbins1, Ekta B Kishen1
1Department of Neurological Sciences (RAP, GTS, BB), Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL; Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Core (EBK), Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL; and Neurology Service (BB), Jesse Brown Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Chicago, IL.
Insights
Patients with neurodegenerative disorders (NDs) hospitalized for COVID-19 showed no increased short-term mortality compared to controls. However, they experienced more neurological complications and higher rates of discharge to nursing homes or hospice.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Infectious Diseases
- Public Health
Background:
- Outcomes for patients with neurodegenerative disorders (NDs) following COVID-19 infection are not well understood.
- There is a hypothesis of increased morbidity and mortality in this vulnerable patient group.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate and compare COVID-19 outcomes in patients with neurodegenerative disorders versus age-matched controls.
- To identify differences in mortality, ICU admission, ventilation, and presenting symptoms.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective cohort study was conducted at three Chicagoland hospitals.
- 132 patients with NDs hospitalized for COVID-19 were compared to 132 age-matched controls (CL).
- Primary outcomes included death, ICU admission, and invasive ventilation; secondary outcomes covered symptoms, oxygen use, and disposition.
Main Results:
- No significant differences in 90-day mortality (19.7% vs 23.5%) or ICU admission (31.5% vs 35.9%) were observed between ND and CL groups.
- Patients with ND had significantly lower rates of invasive ventilation (11.4% vs 23.2%) and supplementary oxygen use (83.2% vs 95.1%).
- ND patients were more likely to present with altered mental status/confusion and less likely with respiratory symptoms, and had higher discharge rates to nursing homes/hospice.
Conclusions:
- Short-term mortality for COVID-19 patients with NDs was similar to controls.
- Patients with NDs may face higher rates of neurological complications and long-term disability post-COVID-19 hospitalization.
- Further research is needed to understand the long-term outcomes for this population.
Background And Objectives:
COVID-19 outcomes in patients with neurodegenerative disorders (NDs) are not well understood, and we hypothesize that there may be increased morbidity and mortality in this group.
Methods:
This was a retrospective cohort study performed at 3 hospitals in the Chicagoland area. All patients hospitalized with COVID-19 infection with ND during a 3-month period (March 15, 2020-June 15, 2020) were included and compared with age-matched controls (CL) at 1:1 ratio. Primary outcomes were death, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and invasive ventilation. Secondary outcomes included presenting COVID-19 symptoms, development of encephalopathy, supplementary oxygen use, discharge disposition, and risk factors for mortality.
Results:
The study included 132 patients with neurodegenerative disorders and 132 age-matched CL. Ninety-day mortality (ND 19.7% vs CL 23.5%, p = 0.45) and ICU admission (ND 31.5% vs CL 35.9%, p = 0.43) rates were not significantly different between the 2 groups. Patients with ND had a lower rate of invasive ventilation (ND 11.4% vs CL 23.2%, p = 0.0075) and supplementary oxygen use (ND 83.2% vs CL 95.1%, p = 0.0012). Patients with ND were also more likely to have altered mental status or confusion as their presenting COVID-19 symptom and less likely to present with respiratory symptoms. Patients with ND were discharged to nursing home or hospice at higher rates compared with CL.
Discussion:
We found that there was no difference in short-term mortality of patients with ND hospitalized for COVID-19 compared with CL, but they may have higher rates of neurologic complications and disability. Future studies should address long-term outcomes.
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