• David W Nelson, Tobias Granberg, Pia Andersen, Elias Jokhadar, Jessica Kåhlin, Anna Granström, Helena Hallinder, Anna Schening, Charlotta Thunborg, Håkan Walles, Göran Hagman, Roya Shams-Latifi, Jimmy Yu, Sven Petersson, Antonios Tzortzakakis, Nicholas Levak, Malin Aspö, Fredrik Piehl, Henrik Zetterberg, Miia Kivipelto, and Lars I Eriksson.
• Deptartment of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
• Acta Anaesthesiol Scand. 2022 Jul 1; 66 (6): 759-766.

BackgroundThis is the study plan of the Karolinska NeuroCOVID study, a study of neurocognitive impairment after severe COVID-19, relating post-intensive care unit (ICU) cognitive and neurological deficits to biofluid markers and MRI. The COVID-19 pandemic has posed enormous health challenges to individuals and health-care systems worldwide. An emerging feature of severe COVID-19 is that of temporary and extended neurocognitive impairment, exhibiting a myriad of symptoms and signs. The causes of this symptomatology have not yet been fully elucidated.MethodsIn this study, we aim to investigate patients treated for severe COVID-19 in the ICU, as to describe and relate serum-, plasma- and cerebrospinal fluid-borne molecular and cellular biomarkers of immune activity, coagulopathy, cerebral damage, neuronal inflammation, and degeneration, to the temporal development of structural and functional changes within the brain as evident by serial MRI and extensive cognitive assessments at 3-12 months after ICU discharge.ResultsTo date, we have performed 51 3-month follow-up MRIs in the ICU survivors. Of these, two patients (~4%) have had incidental findings on brain MRI findings requiring activation of the Incidental Findings Management Plan. Furthermore, the neuropsychological and neurological examinations have so far revealed varying and mixed patterns. Several patients expressed cognitive and/or mental concerns and fatigue, complaints closely related to brain fog.ConclusionThe study goal is to gain a better understanding of the pathological mechanisms and neurological consequences of this new disease, with a special emphasis on neurodegenerative and neuroinflammatory processes, in order to identify targets of intervention and rehabilitation.© 2022 The Authors. Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica Foundation.

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