Clinical characteristics and MRI findings of COVID-19 encephalitis: A retrospective observational study

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic raised concerns about its impact on the nervous system, particularly the occurrence of encephalitis. However, the clinical features and prognosis of COVID-19-associated encephalitis remain poorly understood. This study aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the demographic, clinical, radiological, and prognostic characteristics of COVID-19 encephalitis patients treated at our medical center following the relaxation of disease control measures in China. A retrospective analysis was conducted on 11 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 encephalitis between December 2022 and January 2023. Clinical characteristics, magnetic resonance imaging findings, and prognoses were analyzed descriptively. Of the 11 patients, 8 (72.7%) exhibited abnormal neuroimaging findings. Among them, 4 (36.4%) had cortical lesions, 3 (27.3%) showed meningeal enhancement, and 1 (9.1%) had an isolated basal ganglia lesion. All patients recovered fully and were discharged. COVID-19 encephalitis is a rare but serious condition. Seizures and limb weakness were the most common neurological symptoms. Neuroimaging frequently revealed cortical or focal lesions and meningeal enhancement. No deaths occurred following corticosteroid or intravenous immunoglobulin treatment, and the prognosis was favorable. Further studies are needed to explore the underlying mechanisms of this neurological complication.