Brain Structural Abnormalities in Patients with Post-COVID-19 Headache
Background/Objectives: Headache is one of the most common neurological symptoms associated with COVID-19, affecting approximately 25% of patients. While most headaches resolve within weeks, some persist for months, suggesting underlying structural brain changes. This study aimed to identify brain MR...
Elmentve itt :
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Dokumentumtípus: | Cikk |
Megjelent: |
2025
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Sorozat: | NEUROLOGY INTERNATIONAL
17 No. 4 |
Tárgyszavak: | |
doi: | 10.3390/neurolint17040050 |
mtmt: | 36059111 |
Online Access: | http://publicatio.bibl.u-szeged.hu/36857 |
Tartalmi kivonat: | Background/Objectives: Headache is one of the most common neurological symptoms associated with COVID-19, affecting approximately 25% of patients. While most headaches resolve within weeks, some persist for months, suggesting underlying structural brain changes. This study aimed to identify brain MRI abnormalities associated with chronic headaches in patients with a history of COVID-19 infection. Methods: This retrospective study included 30 patients with post-COVID-19 headaches and 30 control patients with no history of COVID-19. Demographic characteristics were analyzed using t-tests and chi-square tests. MRI findings were categorized into six types: cortical atrophy, white matter lesions, vascular lesions, lacunar lesions, vascular encephalopathy, and sinusitis. Differences in MRI findings between the two groups were evaluated using chi-square tests. Secondary outcomes included the analysis of symptoms accompanying headaches, diagnoses following MRI, and treatments applied. Results: White matter lesions were significantly more frequent in the post-COVID-19 group (50%) compared to controls (20%) (p = 0.015). Conversely, sinusitis was more prevalent in the control group (36.7%) than in the post-COVID-19 group (6.7%) (p = 0.005). Other MRI abnormalities showed no significant differences. Cognitive dysfunction (30%) and dizziness (33.3%) were the most common associated symptoms. The most frequent diagnoses after MRI in the post-COVID-19 group were headaches/migraines (23.3%), post-COVID-19 headache (20%), and vestibular syndrome (13.3%). Conclusions: Persistent post-COVID-19 headaches may be linked to structural white matter changes observed in MRI. Further research, ideally including pre-infection imaging data, is needed to determine the causal relationship between these lesions and chronic headache symptoms. |
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Terjedelem/Fizikai jellemzők: | 11 |
ISSN: | 2035-8385 |