COVID-19-Related Brain Injury?: EEG Study Shows Evidence of Frontal Brain Abnormalities

BioSerenity, a company specializing in remote diagnostic solutions for neurology, sleep medicine, and cardiology announces an article published in Annals of Neurology describing unusual electroencephalogram (EEG) findings in seriously ill patients with SARS-CoV-2.

BioSerenity offers EEG services using remotely connected equipment enabling testing outside of traditional departments. Hospitals in France requested BioSerenity to perform EEGs in intensive care units (ICUs) during the initial surge of COVID-19 patients. The data was reviewed remotely by BioSerenity’s specialists and shared with the hospitals’ medical staff. Via these collaborations, the researchers discovered EEG anomalies likely associated with COVID-19.

Patients presented with altered mental status, had delayed awakening, or poor arousal after being taken off sedation. EEGs were performed while in the ICU at several hospitals in Paris, France. The EEGs showed evidence of frontal brain abnormalities possibility due to COVID-19 related brain injury. When hospitalized patients with COVID-19 present with unexplained mental status change or poor arousability, it is suggested that an EEG be performed as part of the diagnostic assessment to determine the etiology and to identify potentially treatable central nervous system disorders.

BioSerenity will provide data to help physicans diagnose over 30,000 patients suffering from neurological disorders this year. We are excited to report our discovery to assist medical professionals treating COVID-19 patients.

Bruce Lavin, MD, MPH, chief medical officer, says in a release, “This report highlights the importance of obtaining EEGs in patients with COVID-19 who present with cognitive impairment to identify possible brain injury, directly or indirectly due to the virus.”

Samir Medjebar, PhD, GM BioSerenity France, says in a release, “BioSerenity has demonstrated that our scale and scope of services allow us to provide 24/7 hospital assistance during a crisis and the ability to detect new EEG findings.”

Louis Maillard, MD, PhD, professor at Lorraine University, France, says in a release, “This study gives a possible explanation for the comas, delayed awakening, and arousal observed in some of the most severe cases of COVID-19 infections. It shows the importance of EEG, an old but still relevant exam, that can be done at the patient bedside and the only exam that allows for the functional state evaluation of the brain.”

Hervé Vespignani, MD, professor and BioSerenity France medical director, says in a release, “This discovery confirms the importance of performing EEG at the patient’s bed.”

from Sleep Review https://ift.tt/3iFTYC9