COVID-19 and intracranial hypertension in the paediatric population: A systematic review
Department of Neurosurgery, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, United Kingdom.
Review
World Journal of Biology Pharmacy and Health Sciences, 2024, 20(02), 488–493.
Article DOI: 10.30574/wjbphs.2024.20.2.0897
Publication history:
Received on 25 September 2024; revised on 13 November 2024; accepted on 16 November 2024
Abstract:
The purpose of this systematic review is to explore the published evidence pertaining to reports of raised intracranial pressures following a COVID infection in those under the age of 18, to establish whether there is a link between COVID-19 and intracranial hypertension in the paediatric population. A systematic search of published reports was conducted on PubMed and Google Scholar, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. 7 papers met the eligibility criteria, involving a total of 10 patients. Patients were aged between 6-15, and all showed objective features of raised intracranial pressure and had evidence of current or recent COVID-19 infection. Raised intracranial pressure was demonstrated through objective measures such as raised opening pressures on lumbar puncture or papilloedema on ophthalmoscopy, and the presence of COVID-19 infection was evidenced through PCR or serology results. Raised intracranial pressure was not attributable to another cause, suggesting a link between raised intracranial pressure and concurrent COVID-19 infection in the paediatric population.
Keywords:
COVID-19; Intracranial hypertension; Paediatrics; MIS-C
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Copyright © 2024 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article. This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Liscense 4.0