The Prevalence of Dizziness and Vertigo in COVID-19 Patients: A Systematic Review
George Korres, Dimitrios K. Kitsos, Diego Kaski, Anthi Tsogka, Sotirios Giannopoulos, Vasileios Giannopapas, Giorgos Sideris, Giorgos Tyrellis, Konstantine Voumvourakis
Abstract
Clinical manifestations of COVID-19 include symptoms of vertigo and dizziness, which is rather unsurprising, since SARS-CoV-2 neurotropism may inflict a broad spectrum of neuropathic effects. The widespread nature of central and peripheral audiovestibular pathways suggests that there may be several probable pathophysiological mechanisms. The cytokine storm, CNS infiltration of the virus through ACE 2 receptors, and other systemic factors can be responsible for the significant number of COVID-19 patients reported to experience symptoms of vertigo and dizziness. In this paper, we present a systematic review of clinical studies reporting the detection of dizziness and vertigo as clinical manifestations of COVID-19 and discuss their etiopathogenesis.