52-year-old postcovid patient from Rewari with recurrent fits treated successfully at FortisHospital, Gurugram · She developed fits as an after effect of postcovid recovery · Timely treatment and right interventionhelped save her life Rewari :Doctors at Fortis Hospital, Gurugram successfully treated a post covid recovered patient from Rewari who was havingrecurrent fits as a side effect of covid. The 52-year-old housewife fromRewari, was rushed to Fortis Hospital Gurugram with complaints of severerecurrent fits, which she had for four days before being admitted here. This lady wasadmitted with persistent high oxygen requirement with recurrent episodes ofabnormal twitching of face, lips, body stiffness and unconsciousness in phases. Initiallyshe was being considered to have mental illness as her symptoms began when shesaw somebody die on next bed. She was evaluated and diagnosed as covid encephalopathyand these episodes were evaluated as fits. She was put on antibiotics,antifungal and antiseizure medication. “Detailedinvestigations revealed that her MRI and Cerebrospinal Fluid levels werenormal, yet she continued to have high oxygen requirement. Pertaining to thesituation, her anti-seizure medications were escalated and was put on pulsesteroid. Gradually her episodes resolved and she became conscious and wasremoved off the oxygen support. She was able to communicate with family and wasshifted to room before being taken off the injections, making her mobilize anddischarged. Even though cases of seizures and epilepsy are rare especially inmild COVID cases, but may occur in more severe cases later in the diseasecourse.” Said Dr. Praveen Gupta, Director and Head, Neurology, FortisHospital Gurugram. While thereasons for development of fits in patients who do not have epilepsy, duringtheir post COVID recovery are still not fully clear, studies are beingconducted for assessing the possible effects of seizure especially in patientswith systemic effects of severe COVID infections. “One of theprimary ways the virus may trigger these seizures is related to how the virusenters the nervous system and possibly cause a breakdown in the blood -brainbarrier by producing too many cytokines. Cytokines are the molecules that carrycommunication within and regulates the immune system. We’ve seen thatCOVID-19 can cause events called “cytokine storms” where the viruscauses the body to over-produce cytokine which can cause damage andinflammation in various organs. The effects of this inflammation on the braincould explain these seizures.” Added Dr Praveen The patient’sdaughter who was completely worried and almost lost all hopes of her mother’ssurvival had been wandering to various hospitals in Rewari, but without anyrelief. Despite her worsening condition she admitted her mother to FortisHospital Gurugram after being denied admission from various other hospitals.
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