A call from the European Academy of Neurology on COVID-19
Authors: Elena Moro, Gunther Deuschl, Marianne de Visser, Dafin Muresanu, Riccardo Soffietti, Anthony Marson, Marie Vidailhet, David B Vodusek, Claudio L A Bassetti
Journal: The Lancet Neurology (2020)

The frequency, determinants, and evolution of neurological manifestations associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) remain unknown, because of few available data and the retrospective nature of most reports.1Mao L Lin H Wang M et al.Neurologic manifestation of hospitalized patients with coronavirus disease 2019 in Wuhan, China.JAMA Neurol. 2020; (published online April 10.)DOI:10.1001/jamaneurol.2020.1127Crossref Scopus (4903) Google Scholar, 2Toscano G Palmerini F Ravaglia S et al.Guillain-Barré syndrome associated with SARS-CoV-2.N Engl J Med. 2020; (published online April 17.)DOI:10.1056/NEJMc2009191Crossref PubMed Scopus (940) Google Scholar, 3Gutierrez-Ortiz C Mendez A Rodrigo-Rey S et al.Miller-Fisher syndrome and polyneuritis cranialis in COVID-19.Neurology. 2020; (published online April 17.)DOI:10.1212/WNL.0000000000009619Crossref PubMed Scopus (565) Google Scholar, 4Helms J Kremer S Merdji H et al.Neurologic features in severe SARS-CoV-2 infection.N Engl J Med. 2020; (published online April 15.)DOI:10.1056/NEJMc2008597Crossref PubMed Scopus (1853) Google Scholar Furthermore, the possible neurotropic nature of the virus (leading to dyspnoea and respiratory failure) is yet to be confirmed.5Li YC Bai WZ Hashikawa T The neuroinvasive potential of SARS-CoV2 may play a role in the respiratory failure of COVID-19 patients.J Med Virol. 2020; (published online Feb 27.)DOI:10.1002/jmv.25728Crossref Scopus (80) Google Scholar Neurologists are facing many other challenges in the current pandemic, including the management of older patients and those with pre-existing neurological disorders for whom ethical decisions about escalation of care (eg, admission to an intensive-care unit or intubation) might be difficult. The European Academy of Neurology (EAN) aims to gather evidence about the neurological impact of COVID-19. Encompassing 45 000 European neurologists, 47 European National Neurological Societies, and ten associate National Societies from Africa and Asia, the EAN has created a multidisciplinary task force, the EANcore COVID-19, to develop: diagnostic and treatment recommendations for patients with COVID-19 with all subgroups of neurological condition; an online Neuro COVID-19 survey on neurological complications of COVID-19 (for which more than 4200 responses have been already received as of April 30, 2020); and the EAN Neuro COVID-19 registry, which arises from a collaboration with the Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese neurological societies and aims to collect standardised information about demographics, comorbidities, general and neurological manifestations, and course and outcome of COVID-19. This registry, launched on April 29, 2020, will be offered by the EAN to all interested neurologists, neurology departments, and National Societies, together with the necessary ethical, methodological, and technical support. EAN will also provide a platform for rapid COVID-19-related literature alerts and information. Difficult times ask for innovative and courageous solutions. Neurologists are called on to play their part. The EAN is ready to support and join international efforts to alleviate the medical consequences and also the burden associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. All authors declare no competing interests. The neurological impact of COVID-19Since WHO declared COVID-19 as a "Public Health Emergency of International Concern" on January 30, 2020, neurologists' lives have changed in many ways. Now—almost 4 months later—the impact of COVID-19 on neurological services and patients is profound. COVID-19 and mandatory social distancing have forced neurology practices worldwide to dramatically reshape their delivery of care. Simultaneously, non-urgent surgical procedures and medical appointments have been cancelled to increase bed capacity and care for patients with the infection, while many neurologists have had to leave their clinics to help other physicians on the frontlines. Full-Text PDF