Daytime Hypersomnolence in COVID-19: A Case Report and Literature Review

Mahya Shabani; Besharat Rahimi; Mohammad Mehdi  Mehrabi Nejad; Reza Erfanian; Arezu Najafi

doi:10.18502/acta.v59i12.8068

Mahya Shabani Students' Research Committee, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Besharat Rahimi Advanced Thoracic Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Mohammad Mehdi Mehrabi Nejad Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Reza Erfanian Otorhinolaryngology Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Arezu Najafi Occupational Sleep Research Center, Baharloo Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/acta.v59i12.8068

Keywords: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2); Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); Sleep; Excessive somnolence disorders

Abstract

Coronavirus infectious disease 2019 (COVID-19) is confirmed to develop neurocognitive complications. In the present paper, we describe two patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 and excessive daytime sleepiness. In the present study, we reported two laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 with excessive daytime sleepiness. Patients had drowsiness and mild confusion on presentation. In both cases, CNS infections, including meningitis and encephalitis, were ruled out. Both patients’ symptoms remarkably improved following the therapeutic course indicating the direct effect of SARS-CoV2 in sleep modulating centers on the brain. COVID-19 should be considered in patients with excessive daytime sleepiness and drowsiness in the current outbreak.