Focal status epilepticus as unique clinical feature of COVID-19: A case report

Catello Vollono; Eleonora Rollo; Marina Romozzi; Giovanni Frisullo; Serenella Servidei; Alberto Borghetti; Paolo Calabresi

doi:10.1016/j.seizure.2020.04.009

Focal status epilepticus as unique clinical feature of COVID-19: A case report

Seizure. 2020 May:78:109-112. doi: 10.1016/j.seizure.2020.04.009. Epub 2020 Apr 21.

Authors

Catello Vollono¹, Eleonora Rollo², Marina Romozzi², Giovanni Frisullo³, Serenella Servidei⁴, Alberto Borghetti⁵, Paolo Calabresi⁶

Affiliations

¹ Neurofisiopatologia, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: lvol@libero.it.
² Neurologia, Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
³ Neurologia, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
⁴ Neurofisiopatologia, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy; Neurologia, Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
⁵ UOC Malattie Infettive, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
⁶ Neurologia, Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy; Neurologia, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy.

Abstract

SARS-CoV-2, a novel zoonotic coronavirus, is currently spreading all over the world, causing a pandemic disease defined coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The spectrum of COVID-19 ranges from asymptomatic or mild infection to rapidly progressive, acute respiratory distress syndrome and death [1].To the best of our knowledge, status epilepticus has never been described as initial presentation of COVID-19. We report a patient affected by COVID-19 whose primary presentation was a focal status epilepticus.

Keywords: COVID-19; Epilepsy; SARS-CoV-2; Status epilepticus; Viral infections.

Publication types

Case Reports

MeSH terms

Aged
Brain / diagnostic imaging
COVID-19
Coronavirus Infections / diagnosis*
Diagnosis, Differential
Electroencephalography
Epilepsies, Partial / diagnosis*
Female
Humans
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Pandemics
Pneumonia, Viral / diagnosis*
Status Epilepticus / diagnosis*