Management of Patients with Cerebellar Ataxia During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Current Concerns and Future Implications.

Management of Patients with Cerebellar Ataxia During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Current Concerns and Future Implications. Cerebellum. 2020 May 13;: Authors: Manto M, Dupre N, Hadjivassiliou M, Louis ED, Mitoma H, Molinari M, Shaikh AG, Soong BW, Strupp M, Van Overwalle F, Schmahmann JD Abstract The current worldwide severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has brought some medical systems to the brink of collapse. This crisis is also negatively impacting the care of patients with non-COVID-19 conditions, including those with cerebellar ataxia (CA). Older patients with CA and those with immune-mediated ataxias on immunosuppressive medication are potentially at high risk of developing serious complications of the infection, although it is also possible that immunosuppressive agents may provide a defense against cytokine storm. This has implications for even greater attention to preventing contracting the disease through physical distancing and/or isolation. The CA patient population is also at higher risk because of the neurological complexities of their underlying disorder and the comorbid medical illnesses that often accompany the genetic ataxias. As the disruption of social patterns and healthcare delivery in response to the crisis continues, interruption of rehabilitation, speech and language therapy, and face-to-face consultations threatens to have a negative...
Source: Cerebellum - Category: Neuroscience Authors: Tags: Cerebellum Source Type: research