CoVID-19 Evaluation of Neurological and Autonomic Nervous System Troubles in Intensive Care Unit Patients

Overview

Since the spread of the COVID-19 disease, several studies have reported the presence of neurological symptoms in patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 such as dysgeusia, hypo or anosmia, hypopsia, the presence of headaches or neuralgia. It has also been described an inconsistent association, in the most severe patients, neurological disorders such as labile arterial hypertension, persistent central fever, vigilance disorders as well as a poor adaptation of the cardio vascular and respiratory systems characterized by paradoxical bradycardia and the frequent absence of polypnea in response to profound hypoxemia. These different functional signs are usually described in particular in patients with impairment of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) in connection with other neuropathological processes.

Since the spread of the COVID-19 disease, several studies have reported the presence of neurological symptoms in patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 such as dysgeusia, hypo or anosmia, hypopsia, the presence of headaches or neuralgia. It has also been described an inconsistent association, in the most severe patients, neurological disorders such as labile arterial hypertension, persistent central fever, vigilance disorders as well as a poor adaptation of the cardio vascular and respiratory systems characterized by paradoxical bradycardia and the frequent absence of polypnea in response to profound hypoxemia. These different functional signs are usually described in particular in patients with impairment of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) in connection with other neuropathological processes. Currently, there are few studies interesting by the neurological complications of patients with SARS-CoV-2, the mechanisms involved in its migration to target sites and the processes leading to damage by direct injury or related to neuro-inflammatory processes of the CNS and in particular of the brainstem, responsible for the regulation of the ANS. The main objective of the study conducted is therefore to evaluate the prevalence and the evolution of autonomic nervous system dysfunction and its impact in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection hospitalized in intensive care Unit (ICU) confirmed by the obtaining a positive RT-PCR (2nd PCR carried out 3 days after the first in the event of a negative first result). This dysfunction of Autonomic Nervous System will be diagnosed on the basis of a multimodal assessment including spectral analysis of heart rate variability, the tone, pupillary reactivity and tympanometry, the measurement of skin electro-conductance, evaluation of diaphragmatic function and analysis of electro-encephalographic characteristics. This population of patients will be compared with a control group of subjects admitted in ICU for the management of a suspected SARS-CoV-2 infection with a diagnosis excluded on the basis of a set of clinical and biological and ultrasound arguments associated with two RT-PCRs on negative respiratory samples taken 3 days apart.