May 2024

NEUROSCIENCES

AAN 2024: PRE-VACCINATION SARS-COV-2 DOES NOT DECREASE LONG COVID SEVERITY

Featuring: Igor Koralnik, MD​
Over 30 members of the Northwestern Medicine Neurology Department spoke at the American Academy of Neurology 2024 Annual Meeting. Notably, Igor J. Koralnik, MD, chief of Neuro-infectious Disease and Global Neurology at Northwestern Medicine and co-director of the Northwestern Medicine Comprehensive COVID-19 Center, presented on the neurologic manifestations of long COVID, including a patient testimony on its debilitating impact. The video aims to help neurologists and other clinicians identify the symptoms of long COVID in their practice.

Hear from a long COVID patient >

Dr. Koralnik also shared a pioneering study comparing the neurologic manifestations of the first 1,300 long COVID patients seen in his clinic who had pre-vaccination infection (PVI) or breakthrough infection (BTI).
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He found that BTI patients had an increased incidence of comorbidities, including depression/anxiety, endocrine disorders, lung and gastrointestinal diseases, and headaches. Anosmia/dysgeusia was more frequent in non-hospitalized neuro-PASC PVI than BTI, while anosmia was more frequent in post-hospitalization neuro-PASC BTI than PVI. This highlights the role of anosmia/dysgeusia in symptom stratification for PVI and BTI groups.
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There was no correlation between subjective recovery and time since symptom onset in either group. Additionally, the severity of subjective quality of life alteration and objective cognitive dysfunction was similar between PVI and BTI groups. In conclusion, vaccination before SARS-CoV-2 infection did not decrease the severity of long COVID.
Dr. Koralnik explained that there will be a growing health and economic burden as long COVID continues. Consequently, there will be a greater need for multidisciplinary post-COVID clinics to address the complex and evolving needs of patients with long COVID.
Igor Koralnik, MD, Chief of Neuro-infectious Disease and Global Neurology, Department of Neurology at Northwestern Medicine

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