Long-term outcomes of patients with a pre-existing neurological condition after SARS-CoV-2 infection

OBJECTIVES: This study investigated post COVID-19 outcomes of patients with pre-existing neurological conditions up to 3.5 years post-infection. METHODS: This retrospective study consisted of 1664 patients with COVID-19 (of which 1320 had been hospitalized for acute COVID-19) and 8985 non-COVID patients from the Montefiore Health System in the Bronx (Jan-2016 to Jul-2023). Pre-existing neurological conditions include dementia, mild cognitive impairment, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson's disease. Primary outcomes were all-cause mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) post-COVID-19. Secondary outcomes were depression, anxiety, fatigue, headache, sleep disturbances, altered mental status, and dyspnea post-COVID-19. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards model was used to calculate adjusted hazard ratios for primary outcomes. Cumulative incidence function and Fine-Gray sub-distribution hazards model analysis were performed for secondary outcomes. RESULTS: Patients with a pre-existing neurological disorders hospitalized for COVID-19 were more likely to die (adjusted hazard ratio = 1.90 [CI:1.57, 2.28], P < 0.005) whereas patients non-hospitalized for COVID-19 had similar mortality rate (aHR = 0.85 [CI:0.47, 1.54]. P = 0.59) compared to non-COVID patients. Patients with a neurological disorders (hospitalized for COVID-19 aHR = 1.76 [CI:1.53, 2.03], P < 0.005; not hospitalized for COVID-19: aHR = 1.50 [CI:1.09, 2.05], P = 0.01) were more likely to experience a MACE compared to non-COVID-19 patients. Blacks (aHR = 1.49) and Hispanics (aHR = 1.35) had a higher risk of post-COVID-19 MACE. Both hospitalized and non-hospitalized COVID-19 patients were more likely to develop altered mental status, fatigue, sleep disturbance, dyspnea compared to non-COVID patients (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with pre-existing neurological conditions who contracted SARS-CoV-2 were more likely to have worse outcomes compared to controls after adjusting for major competing risks. Identifying at-risk individuals could enable more diligent follow-up.