Although emerging data indicate that various neurological symptoms are associated with COVID-19, data are lacking on the outcomes of patients with neurological dysfunctions who acquire COVID-19. To determine these outcomes, study investigators reviewed the outcomes of adult patients admitted to a single academic hospital with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 infection. Among participants, 61% had new neurological dysfunction. When compared with patients with no neurological dysfunction, those with neurological dysfunction had increased need for mechanical ventilation (10.9% vs 39.7%), longer median ICU stay (0 days vs 4 days), longer hospital length of stay (6.0 days vs 12.5 days), worse function outcome at discharge (modified Rankin Score, 1 vs 3), and greater likelihood of non-home discharge destination (43% vs 70%). Although neurological symptoms appeared to be associated with a higher incidence of DNR code status when compare with no such symptoms (27% vs 13%), this association did not seem to impact in-hospital mortality rates (17.8% vs 8.7%).
