Corticosteroid Responsive Encephalopathy: Prolonged Coma in Patients Late in the Course of Dreadful Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection

Abstract

Background: Responsible for the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic that began in December 2019, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 mainly causes respiratory insult. Few cases were reported of extrapulmonary involvement, many of which were neurologic. Case Summary: In this case report, we present two cases of prolonged coma after weaning off sedation in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 patients with rapid neurologic improvement shortly after high-dose corticosteroid regimen. Conclusions: We thus hypothesize an inflammatory process being responsible for the prolonged coma. Inflammatory neurologic insult has been described with other coronaviruses. Further studies are needed to determinate the extent and underlying mechanism of neurologic involvement in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infections.