Altered regional cerebral glucose metabolism and its correlation with cognitive impairment in the subacute stage of COVID-19

Ziel/Aim Given the rapid spread of SARS-CoV-2 and emerging evidence of neurological symptoms particularly in hospitalized COVID-19 patients, we examined the impact of COVID-19 on the CNS in inpatients at the subacute stage by F-18-FDG PET. Methodik/Methods We assessed neurological and neuropsychological symptoms (MoCA) and F-18-FDG PET scans in 15 COVID-19 inpatients (once patients were no longer infectious). All scans were visually read using a 3-step rating scale (normal, mildly and severely abnormal). Principal components analysis (PCA;avoiding the need of a currently unknown reference region) was employed to explore whether a spatial covariance pattern exists in COVID-19 (compared to 45 control patients without somatic CNS disease). Exploratory, we assessed mean normalized F-18-FDG uptake (lean body weight- and plasma glucose-adjusted standardized uptake value, SUV) in 10 % voxels with highest covariance weights (positive and negative). Ergebnisse/Results Visual reads indicated pathological results in 10/15 patients (mainly frontotemporal hypometabolism). We detected a highly significant (p .39] in 10 % voxels with most negative and positive weights, respectively). Schlussfolgerungen/Conclusions Neocortical dysfunction accompanied by cognitive impairment was detected in two-thirds of inpatients with subacute COVID-19. A clear indication of regional hypermetabolism (suggesting inflammation) was not found. Follow-up studies are currently underway.