6‐month global cognitive function in Mexican older adults recovered of COVID‐19: a prospective cohort study using telemedicine

• Published in: Alzheimer's & dementia Vol. 18; no. S7
• Main Authors: Mimenza, Alberto, Palma, Abdías Ambrosio, Funes, José Alberto Avila, Aguilar‐Navarro, Sara Gloria
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken John Wiley and Sons Inc 01.12.2022
• Subjects: Clinical Manifestations
• ISSN: 1552-5260; 1552-5279
• DOI: 10.1002/alz.065254

Background SARS‐CoV2 infection affects the central nervous system, one of the manifestations is the cognitive function impairment (1,2). It is currently unknown to what degree and which cognitive domains are involved in this disease (3,4). This study aims to know the effect on global cognitive function in older adults recovered of COVID‐19 Method A prospective cohort study recruited adults aged over 60 years old. As dependent variable, the Global Cognitive Function (GCF) was assessed using the Mini‐Mental State Examination (MMSE) test via telemedicine in patients recovered of moderate and severe COVID‐19 6 months after hospital discharge. Patients with uncontrolled neurological, metabolic, and psychiatric diseases were excluded. Multivariate models were constructed, as well as Cox regression model to assess the association between GCF impaired with history of moderate and severe COVID‐19, adjusted for age, sex, and education Result We studied 607 patients, of which 108 survived the SARS‐CoV‐2 infection. One patient dies during the follow‐up. 107 patients were analyzed, median age was 70 years (SD 7.3), 54% were women, with 9.2 (SD 3.8) years of education, the mean of MMSE was 26.2 (SD 3.2). Regarding the severity of the COVID‐19, 74% presented a moderate infection and 26% was severe. 12% had GCF impaired, of which 14.3% were severe COVID‐19 and 11.4% with moderate infection. Cognitive domains most affected were episodic memory (43%) and constructional praxis (86%) in all patients, without statistic difference for infection severity. Factors associated with GCF impaired was the history of depression (HR 6.8; 95%CI: 1.4‐31.5, p = 0.01), higher education (HR ‐0.20; 95%CI: 0.68‐0.95, p = 0.01), and C‐RP level (HR 1.07; 95%CI: 1.01‐1.13, p = 0.01) Conclusion Global cognitive function in older adults recovered of severe COVID‐19 was impaired 6 months after hospital discharge. Cognitive domains of episodic memory and constructive praxis were the most altered. Future studies are needed in this geriatric population to confirm this long‐term outcome, especially in those patients with risk factors such as history of depression, lower education, and severe illness