52-year-old post covid patient from Rewari with recurrent fits treated successfully at Fortis Hospital, Gurugram

52-year-old post covid patient from Rewari with recurrent fits treated successfully at Fortis Hospital, Gurugram 

• She developed fits as an after effect of post covid recovery   
• Timely treatment and right intervention helped save her life

Rewari, 18^th August 21: Doctors at Fortis Hospital, Gurugram successfully treated a post covid recovered  patient from Rewari who was having recurrent fits as a side effect of covid. The 52-year-old housewife from Rewari, was rushed to Fortis Hospital Gurugram with complaints of severe recurrent fits, which she had for four days before being admitted here.

This lady was admitted with persistent high oxygen requirement with recurrent episodes of abnormal twitching of face, lips, body stiffness and unconsciousness in phases. Initially she was being considered to have mental illness as her symptoms began when she saw somebody die on next bed. She was evaluated and diagnosed as covid encephalopathy and these episodes were evaluated as fits. She was put on antibiotics, antifungal and antiseizure medication.

“Detailed investigations revealed that her MRI and Cerebrospinal Fluid levels were normal, yet she continued to have high oxygen requirement. Pertaining to the situation, her anti-seizure medications were escalated and was put on pulse steroid. Gradually her episodes resolved and she became conscious and was removed off the oxygen support. She was able to communicate with family and was shifted to room before being taken off the injections, making her mobilize and discharged. Even though cases of seizures and epilepsy are rare especially in mild COVID cases, but may occur in more severe cases later in the disease course.” Said Dr. Praveen Gupta, Director and Head, Neurology, Fortis Hospital Gurugram.

While the reasons for development of fits in patients who do not have epilepsy, during their post COVID recovery are still not fully clear, studies are being conducted for assessing the possible effects of seizure especially in patients with systemic effects of severe COVID infections.

“One of the primary ways, the virus may trigger these seizures is related to how the virus enters the nervous system and possibly cause a breakdown in the blood -brain barrier by producing too many cytokines. Cytokines are the molecules that carry communication within and regulates the immune system. We’ve seen that COVID-19 can cause events called “cytokine storms” where the virus causes the body to over-produce cytokine which can cause damage and inflammation in various organs. The effects of this inflammation on the brain could explain these seizures.” Added Dr Praveen

The patient’s daughter who was completely worried and almost lost all hopes of her mother’s survival had been wandering to various hospitals in Rewari, but without any relief. Despite her worsening condition she admitted her mother to Fortis Hospital Gurugram after being denied admission from various other hospitals.

“We have been shifting my mother from one hospital to other for over three weeks and her oxygen levels kept dropping below 50, when she stopped recognizing anyone. Soon after being tested positive for two weeks, she started blacking out and developed fits which seemed out of control at a local hospital in Rewari. She was then referred to Fortis Hospital Gurugram where post admission, she had episodes of fainting. Effective treatment modalities were followed by the team which showed progress in her condition with complete regression of seizures and started to regain consciousness. She has been doing well ever since and has not had even a single episode of seizure in the past 2 months. Timely intervention at the right doctor helped saving my mother’s life.” Added patient’s daughter.

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