Acute Encephalopathy in Critically Ill Patients With COVID-19

All patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection and acute encephalopathy at presentation will be prospectively included in the NEURO-COVD-19 study. This study will collect demographic data, clinical examen at prehospital/emergency room and ICU admission (including neurological signs), and all ancillary exams performed to identify a cause of neurological impairment. Outcome will be evaluated using the Glasgow Outcome Scale score at ICU and hospital discharge, and day-90 after ICU admission.

Acute encephalopathy will be defined as recently stated :

"1. The term acute encephalopathy refers to a rapidly developing (over less than 4 weeks, but usually within hours to a few days) pathobiological process in the brain. This is a preferred term 2. Acute encephalopathy can lead to a clinical presentation of subsyndromal delirium, delirium, or in case of a severely decreased level of consciousness, coma; all representing a change from baseline cognitive status 3. The term delirium refers to a clinical state characterized by a combination of features defined by diagnostic systems such as the DSM-5. Delirium according to the DSM-5 is defined if criterium A-E are fulfilled: A. Disturbance in attention (i.e., reduced ability to direct, focus, sustain, and shift attention) and awareness (reduced orientation to the environment). B. The disturbance develops over a short period of time (usually hours to a few days) represents a change from baseline attention and awareness, and tends to fluctuate in severity during the course of the day. C. An additional disturbance in cognition (e.g., memory deficit, disorientation, language, visuospatial ability, or perception). D. The disturbances in criteria A and C are not explained by another pre-existing, established, or evolving neurocognitive disorder, and do not occur in the context of a severely reduced level of arousal, such as coma. E. There is evidence from the history, physical examination, or laboratory findings that the disturbance is a direct physiologic consequence of another medical condition, substance intoxication or withdrawal (i.e. because of a drug of abuse medication), or exposure to a toxin, or is because of multiple etiologies. " (Slooter, A.J.C., Otte, W.M., Devlin, J.W. et al. Updated nomenclature of delirium and acute encephalopathy: statement of ten Societies. Intensive Care Med (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-019-05907-4)