COVID-19-associated delayed posthypoxic necrotizing leukoencephalopathy

A 50 year-old man with controlled hypertension and type II diabetes presented after one week of dyspnea and cough with a blood O2 saturation of 90%. A reverse ttranscriptase-polymerase chain eaction assay on a nasopharyngeal swab specimen confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, and a diagnosis of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia. On initial neurologic examination, the patient was alert and fully oriented with fluent speech and no focal deficits. On the second hospital day and while on 2L of supplemental O2 through nasal cannula, blood O2 saturation dropped to 70% and he was intubated.
Source: Journal of the Neurological Sciences - Category: Neurology Authors: Tags: Letter to the Editor Source Type: research