Narcolepsy following COVID ‐19: A case report and review of potential mechanisms

Abstract

KEY CLINICAL MESSAGE The immune activation in COVID-19 may trigger narcolepsy in vulnerable patients. We suggest clinicians carefully evaluate patients with post-COVID fatigue and hypersomnia for primary sleep disorders, specifically narcolepsy. ABSTRACT The patient is a 33-year-old Iranian woman without a significant past medical history with the full range of narcolepsy symptoms that started within 2 weeks after her recovery from COVID-19. Sleep studies revealed increased sleep latency and three sleep-onset rapid eye movement events, compatible with a narcolepsy-cataplexy diagnosis.