Clinical features of SARS-CoV-2-associated encephalitis and meningitis amid COVID-19 pandemic

Table 2 Clinical and demographic characteristics of the 32 coronavirus disease-19 patients with encephalitis/meningitis

Characteristic	Value (n = 32)
Median age (range), yr	45.37 (8-75)
Male sex, n (%)	20 (62.5)
Female sex, n (%)	12 (37.5)
Time between reported viral syndrome and confirmed COVID-19 (n = 12)	6 (2-15)
General symptoms before the onset of the encephalitis/meningitis, n (%)	29 (96.67)
Fever	16 (55.17)
Cough	13 (44.83)
Dyspnea	11 (37.93)
Diarrhea	4 (13.79)
Myalgia	4 (13.79)
Generalized weakness	3 (10.34)
Headache	3 (10.34)
Vomiting	3 (10.34)
Nasal obstruction	2 (6.90)
Palmar rash	2 (6.90)
Abdominal pain	1 (3.45)
Anosmia	1 (3.45)
Cognitive fluctuations	1 (3.45)
Insomnia	1 (3.45)
Psychological abnormalities	1 (3.45)
Time between reported viral syndrome and onset of neurological symptoms	7.91 (1-21)
Neurological symptoms, n (%)	32 (100)
Consciousness disturbance	19 (59.38)
Seizure	7 (21.88)
Delirium	6 (18.75)
Headache	6 (18.75)
Altered mental status	3 (9.38)
Ataxia	2 (6.25)
Drowsiness	2 (6.25)
Dysphagia	2 (6.25)
Myoclonus	2 (6.25)
Paresthesias	2 (6.25)
Syncope	2 (6.25)
Unsteady gait	2 (6.25)
Autonomic instabilities	1 (3.13)
Diplopia	1 (3.13)
Dizziness	1 (3.13)
Dysarthria	1 (3.13)
Dyskinesias	1 (3.13)
Kinetic tremor	1 (3.13)
Nausea	1 (3.13)
Oscillopsia	1 (3.13)
Paralysis	1 (3.13)
Urinary incontinence	1 (3.13)
SARS-CoV-2 infection diagnostic category, n (%)
Nasopharyngeal swab/PT-PCR	28 (87.5)
SARS-CoV-2 IgM (Serum)	1 (3.13)
SARS-CoV-2 IgG (Serum)	1 (3.13)
Tracheal aspirate/PT-PCR	1 (3.13)
PCR for SARS-CoV-2 on CSF	4 (12.5)
PCR for SARS-CoV-2 in Postoperative brain histopathology	1 (3.13)
SARS-CoV-2 antibody (CSF)	3 (9.38)

COVID-19: Coronavirus disease-19; SARS-CoV-2: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; RT-PCR: Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction; CSF: Cerebrospinal fluid.