Myoclonus and Cerebellar Ataxia Associated with SARS-CoV-2 Infection: Case Report and Review of the Literature
  • Nadia Mariagrazia Giannantoni
    Department of Internal Medicine, Ospedale Regionale di Lugano, Switzerland
  • Elia Rigamonti
    Department of Internal Medicine, Ospedale Regionale di Lugano, Switzerland
  • Francesca Irene Rampolli
  • Lorenzo Grazioli-Gauthier
    Department of Internal Medicine, Ospedale Regionale di Lugano, Switzerland
  • Gilles Allali
    Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Division of Neurology, Geneva University Hospitals and Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Switzerland; Department of Neurology, Division of Cognitive and Motor Aging, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Yeshiva University, Bronx, NY, USA
  • Gianluca Vanini
    Department of Internal Medicine, Ospedale Regionale di Lugano, Switzerland

Keywords

SARS-CoV-2 infection, myoclonus, ataxia, differential diagnoses

Abstract

The current SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 pandemic has led to a global health crisis. The clinical spectrum of SARS-CoV-2 infection ranges from asymptomatic infection to critical illness affecting almost every organ including the central and peripheral nervous systems. Myoclonus, a less expected and relatively unusual neurological complication, together with ataxia, has lately been associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. We describe the case of a 67-year-old male patient, admitted to our hospital for interstitial bilateral pneumonia due to SARS-CoV-2 infection, who progressively developed general myoclonus and later cerebellar ataxia and gait disturbance. Given the timeline from COVID-19 systemic symptoms to neurological manifestations and the normal results of extensive and non-conclusive diagnostic work-up (blood test, lumbar puncture, EEG, cerebral MRI), a para-infectious encephalopathy related to SARS-CoV-2 was contemplated and a high dose of methylprednisolone was started with prompt symptom improvement. 
Further investigation and neuroepidemiological studies are needed to help define the mechanism of neuroinvasion and the entire spectrum of neurological manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 infection, even in mildly affected patients, in terms of prevention, treatment and possible neurological sequelae.

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    Published: 2021-05-06
    Issue: 2021: Vol 8 No 5 (view)


    How to cite:
    1.
    Giannantoni NM, Rigamonti E, Rampolli FI, Grazioli-Gauthier L, Allali G, Vanini G. Myoclonus and Cerebellar Ataxia Associated with SARS-CoV-2 Infection: Case Report and Review of the Literature. EJCRIM 2021;8 doi:10.12890/2021_002531.

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