EAN Congress 2022: COVID-19 positive patients at higher risk of developing neurodegenerative disorders, new study shows
PR96675
VIENNA, June 25, 2022 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ --
COVID-19 positive outpatients are at an increased risk of neurodegenerative
disorders compared with individuals who tested negative for the virus, a new
study presented today at the 8th European Academy of Neurology (EAN) Congress
has shown.
The study, which analysed the health records of over half of the Danish
population, found that those who had tested positive for COVID-19 were at an
increased risk of Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and ischaemic
stroke.
Out of the 919,731 individuals that tested for COVID-19 within the study,
researchers found that the 43,375 people who tested positive had a 3.5 times
increased risk of being diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, 2.6 times with
Parkinson's disease, 2.7 times with ischaemic stroke and a 4.8 times increased
with intracerebral haemorrhage. While neuroinflammation may contribute to an
accelerated development of neurodegenerative disorders, the authors highlighted
implications of the scientific focus on long-term sequelae after COVID-19.
The study analysed Danish in- and outpatients between February 2020 and
November 2021, as well as influenza patients from the corresponding
pre-pandemic period. Researchers used statistical techniques to calculate
relative risk, and results were stratified for hospitalisation status, age,
sex, and comorbidities.
Dr Pardis Zarifkar, lead author from the Department of Neurology,
Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark, explained, "More than two years after the
onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the precise nature and evolution of the effects
of COVID-19 on neurological disorders remained uncharacterised. Previous
studies have established an association with neurological syndromes, but until
now it is unknown whether COVID-19 also influences the incidence of specific
neurological diseases and whether it differs from other respiratory infections".
The increased risk of most neurological diseases was, however, no higher in
COVID-19 positive patients than in people who had been diagnosed with influenza
or other respiratory illnesses. COVID-19 patients did have a 1.7 times
increased risk of ischaemic stroke in comparison to influenza and bacterial
pneumonia in patients over 80 years of age.
The frequency of other neurodegenerative illnesses such as multiple sclerosis,
myasthenia gravis, Guillain-Barré syndrome and narcolepsy did not increase
after COVID-19, influenza, or pneumonia.
Dr Pardis Zarifkar added, "These findings will inform our understanding of the
long-term effect of COVID-19 on the body and the role that infections play in
neurodegenerative diseases and stroke."
SOURCE : EAN Congress 2022
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