COVID-19 and its aftereffect on vestibular function

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The pandemic has led to a development of various immunological complications of COVID-19 including the chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia. These syndromes, which often manifest themselves on a background of autoimmune diseases, may develop with an entrainment of vestibular function into the pathological process.

AIM: Aim of the study was to estimate vestibular function in groups of patients with autoimmune dysfunctions accompanied by the chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia, who have had COVID-19 and those have not had COVID-19 in their anamnesis, and to compare it with vestibular function of healthy volunteers.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A functional investigation of vestibular system called “Vestibular passport” and the anamnesis taking by a standard questionnaire were performed in patients with an implied autoimmune dysfunction and presence of the chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia and/or postural orthostatic tachycardia, and also for a control group of healthy participants.

RESULTS: Patients who have had COVID-19 in their anamnesis demonstrated significantly higher percentage of cases of vestibulopathy than healthy volunteers (33 and 6 %, respectively). In patients without COVID-19 in their anamnesis the percentage of vestibulopathy cases did not differ significantly from the corresponding percentage in healthy volunteers (14 and 6 %, respectively). Patients’ complaints which indicate a vestibular pathology were confirmed in 2/3 of all cases.

CONCLUSIONS: Patients with chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia who have had COVID-19 were more prone to vestibulopathies than patients without COVID-19 in their anamnesis, whose vestibular indices did not differ from that in healthy volunteers. The data obtained shoul be considered as preliminary.

Keywords

COVID-19 / vestibulopathy / autoimmune disease

References

[1] Mohabbat AB, Mohabbat NML, Wight EC. Fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome in the age of COVID-19. Mayo Clin Proc Innov Qual Outcomes. 2020;4(6):764–766. DOI: 10.1016/j.mayocpiqo.2020.08.002

[2] Mohabbat A.B., Mohabbat N.M.L., Wight E.C. Fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome in the age of COVID-19 // Mayo Clin. Proc. Innov. Qual. Outcomes. 2020. Vol. 4, No. 6. P. 764–766. DOI: 10.1016/j.mayocpiqo.2020.08.002

[3] Wostyn P. COVID-19 and chronic fatigue syndrome: Is the worst yet to come? Med Hypotheses. 2021;146:110469. DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2020.110469

[4] Wostyn P. COVID-19 and chronic fatigue syndrome: Is the worst yet to come? // Med. Hypotheses. 2021. Vol. P. 110469. DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2020.110469

[5] Poenaru S, Abdallah SJ, Corrales-Medina V, Cowan J. COVID-19 and post-infectious myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: a narrative review. Ther Adv Infect Dis. 2021;8:20499361211009385. DOI: 10.1177/20499361211009385

[6] Poenaru S., Abdallah S.J., Corrales-Medina V., Cowan J. COVID-19 and post-infectious myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: a narrative review // Ther. Adv. Infect. Dis. 2021. Vol. 8. P. 20499361211009385. DOI: 10.1177/20499361211009385

[7] Amiri M, Hasanalifard M, Delphi M. Impact of COVID-19 on the auditory and vestibular system. Aud Vestib Res. 2021;30(3):152–159. DOI: 10.18502/avr.v30i3.6528

[8] Amiri M., Hasanalifard M., Delphi M. Impact of COVID-19 on the auditory and vestibular system // Aud. Vestib. Res. 2021. Vol. 30, No. 3. P. 152–159. DOI: 10.18502/avr.v30i3.6528

[9] Camargo-Martínez W, Lozada-Martínez I, Escobar-Collazos A, et al. Post-COVID 19 neurological syndrome: Implications for sequelae’s treatment. J Clin Neurosci. 2021;88:219–225. DOI: 10.1016/j.jocn.2021.04.001

[10] Camargo-Martínez W., Lozada-Martínez I., Escobar-Collazos A. et al. Post-COVID 19 neurological syndrome: Implications for sequelae’s treatment // J. Clin. Neurosci. 2021. Vol. 88. P. 219–225. DOI: 10.1016/j.jocn.2021.04.001

[11] Wijeratne T, Crewther S. Post-COVID-19 Neurological Syndrome (PCNS); a novel syndrome with challenges for the global neurology community. J Neurol Sci. 2020;419:117179. DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2020.117179

[12] Wijeratne T., Crewther S. Post-COVID-19 Neurological Syndrome (PCNS); a novel syndrome with challenges for the global neurology community // J. Neurol. Sci. 2020. Vol. 419. P. 117179. DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2020.117179

[13] Garner R, Baraniuk JN. Orthostatic intolerance in chronic fatigue syndrome. J Transl Med. 2019;17(1):185. DOI: 10.1186/s12967-019-1935-y

[14] Garner R., Baraniuk J.N. Orthostatic intolerance in chronic fatigue syndrome // J. Transl. Med. 2019. Vol. 17, No. 1. P. 185. DOI: 10.1186/s12967-019-1935-y

[15] Dolina IV, Sakovich AR. Metody issledovaniya vestibulyarnogo apparata: uchebno-metodicheskoe posobie. Minsk: BSMU; 2015. (In Russ.)

[16] Долина И.В., Сакович А.Р. Методы исследования вестибулярного аппарата: учебно-методическое пособие. Минск: БГМУ, 2015.

[17] Mat Q, Noël A, Loiselet L, et al.Vestibular neuritis as clinical presentation of COVID-19. Ear Nose Throat Journ. 2021;145561321995021. DOI: 10.1177/0145561321995021

[18] Mat Q., Noël A., Loiselet L. et al.Vestibular neuritis as clinical presentation of COVID-19 // Ear Nose Throat Journ. 2021. P. 145561321995021. DOI: 10.1177/0145561321995021

[19] Malayala SV, Raza A. A case of COVID-19-induced vestibular neuritis. Cureus. 2020;12(6):e8918. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.8918

[20] Malayala S.V., Raza A. A case of COVID-19-induced vestibular neuritis // Cureus. 2020. Vol. 12, No. 6. P. e8918. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.8918

[21] Gallus R, Melis A, Rizzo D, et al. Audiovestibular symptoms and sequelae in COVID-19 patients. J Vestib Res. 2021;31(5):381–387. DOI: 10.3233/VES-201505

[22] Gallus R., Melis A., Rizzo D. et al. Audiovestibular symptoms and sequelae in COVID-19 patients // J. Vestib. Res. 2021. Vol. 31, No. 5. P. 381–387. DOI: 10.3233/VES-201505

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

Eco-Vector