Acute Neurological Care in the COVID-19 Era: The Pandemic Health System REsilience PROGRAM (REPROGRAM) Consortium Pathway
Open Access
- 29 May 2020
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Frontiers Media SA in Frontiers in Neurology
- Vol. 11, 579
- https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2020.00579
Abstract
The management of acute neurological conditions, particularly acute ischemic stroke, in the context of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), is of importance, considering the risk of infection to the healthcare workers and patients and emerging evidence of the neuroinvasive potential of the virus. There are variations in expert guidelines further complicating the picture for clinicians in acute settings. In this light, there is a compelling need for further formulation of recommendations that compile these variations seen in the numerous guidelines present. Health system protocols for managing ongoing acute neurological care and intervention need consideration of safety and well-being of the frontline healthcare workers and the patients. We examine existing pathways and their efficacy to mitigate viral exposure to the healthcare workers and patients and synthesize a systemic approach to manage patients with acute neurological conditions in the COVID-19 scenario. Early experiences with a COVID-19 positive stroke patient treated with endovascular thrombectomy is presented to highlight the urgent need for adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) during acute neuro-interventional procedures.This publication has 20 references indexed in Scilit:
- The neuroinvasive potential of SARS-CoV2 may play a role in the respiratory failure of COVID-19 patientsJournal of Medical Virology, 2020
- Supporting the Health Care Workforce During the COVID-19 Global EpidemicJAMA, 2020
- Letter: The Coronavirus Disease 2019 Global Pandemic: A Neurosurgical Treatment AlgorithmNeurosurgery, 2020
- Mental health care for medical staff in China during the COVID-19 outbreakThe Lancet Psychiatry, 2020
- Managing mental health challenges faced by healthcare workers during covid-19 pandemicBMJ, 2020
- The Battle Against Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): Emergency Management and Infection Control in a Radiology DepartmentJournal of the American College of Radiology, 2020
- Evidence of the COVID-19 Virus Targeting the CNS: Tissue Distribution, Host–Virus Interaction, and Proposed Neurotropic MechanismsACS Chemical Neuroscience, 2020
- Quantitative imaging assessment of blood-brain barrier permeability in humansFluids and Barriers of the CNS, 2013
- A review of screening tests for cognitive impairmentJournal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry, 2007
- Signs and symptoms of patients with brain tumors presenting to the emergency departmentThe Journal of Emergency Medicine, 1993