Cognitive Impairment and Risk Factors in Post-COVID-19 Hospitalized Patients

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Infectious Diseases
• Cognitive Science

Background:

• Cognitive deficits, termed "brain fog," are frequently reported after coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
• The clinical characteristics and risk factors associated with post-COVID-19 cognitive impairment remain debated.
• Understanding these deficits is crucial for patient management and recovery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of cognitive impairment following COVID-19 hospitalization.
• To characterize the nature of cognitive deficits observed in post-COVID-19 patients.
• To identify risk factors for cognitive impairment and compare cognitive function with healthy controls.

Main Methods:

• Neuropsychological and clinical evaluations were conducted on 34 patients hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2 infection.
• Cognitive function was assessed using the TMSE and MoCA tests at a 2-week follow-up.
• A comparison group of 22 healthy individuals was included for cognitive function assessment.

Main Results:

• A prevalence of 61.76% for post-COVID-19 cognitive impairment (MoCA score < 25) was observed.
• Years of education emerged as the sole predictive factor for cognitive impairment.
• Multivariate analysis indicated no statistically significant difference in cognitive outcomes between post-acute COVID-19 patients and healthy controls.

Conclusions:

• A moderate prevalence of cognitive dysfunction exists post-COVID-19 hospitalization, aligning with prior research.
• Despite reported deficits, no significant cognitive differences were detected when comparing patients to healthy individuals.
• Further longitudinal studies are necessary to definitively establish a causal link between SARS-CoV-2 infection and cognitive dysfunction.