Modelling the Anatomic Distribution of Neurologic Events in Patients with COVID-19: A Systematic Review of MRI Findings
Nicholas Parsons, Athanasia Outsikas, Annie Parish, Rebecca Clohesy, Fiore D’Aprano, Fidel Toomey, Shailesh Advani, Govinda Poudel
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Neurologic events have been reported in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, a model-based evaluation of the spatial distribution of these events is lacking. PURPOSE: Our aim was to quantitatively evaluate whether a network diffusion model can explain the spread of small neurologic events. DATA SOURCES: The MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, and LitCovid data bases were searched from January 1, 2020, to July 19, 2020. STUDY SELECTION: Thirty-five case series and case studies reported 317 small neurologic events in 123 unique patients with COVID-19. DATA ANALYSIS: < .05, family-wise error-corrected) between predicted and measured events were considered epicenters. DATA SYNTHESIS: = .02, corrected). In white matter, most events (∼26%) were observed within the bilateral corticospinal tracts. LIMITATIONS: The risk of bias was not considered because all studies were either case series or case studies. CONCLUSIONS: Transconnectome diffusion of pathology via the structural network of the brain may contribute to the spread of neurologic events in patients with COVID-19.