%0 Journal Article
%T Covid-19 and Mucormycosis Superinfection: Prospective, Obsevational Study in a Single Center.
%A Garg S
%A Masheshwari D
%A Bhushan B
%A Sardana V
%A Jain RK
%A Garg S
%A Masheshwari D
%A Bhushan B
%A Sardana V
%A Jain RK
%J Ann Indian Acad Neurol
%V 25
%N 3
%D May-Jun 2022
%M 35936631
%F 1.714
%R 10.4103/aian.aian_1097_21
%X <B>UNASSIGNED: </B>Mucormycosis (MCR) has been increasingly described in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), but the epidemiological factors, neurological presentation, and outcome of such patients are not well described.<BR><B>UNASSIGNED: </B>To study the patient demographics, presenting symptoms and signs, the role of co-morbidities, medications used to treat COVID-19, and the outcomes of management and to study the spectrum of neuraxis involvement and its outcome.<BR><B>UNASSIGNED: </B>It was a prospective, observational, cross-sectional hospital-based single center cohort study. Confirmed MCR cases with and without COVID-19 were collected. The study was carried out over a period of 3 months from May to July 2021, followed by 3-month follow-up. Information on epidemiological factors, neurological findings, treatment (including medical and surgical treatment), and outcome was recorded.<BR><B>UNASSIGNED: </B>A total of 141 patients were diagnosed with MCR, out of which 98 were COVID-associated MCR (CAM). The CAM incidence was 0.39% among COVID-19-positive patients. The MCR case fatality rate at 90 days was 43.9% but was higher for CAM than for non-CAM patients. Older ages (>50 years), diabetes mellitus, multiple risk factors, diabetic ketoacidosis on admission, brain involvement, and history of COVID-19 pneumonitis were associated with a higher risk for death.<BR><B>UNASSIGNED: </B>Possibly because of improper usage of corticosteroids, zinc, oxygen, and tocilizumab, there was sudden surge of cases of MCR in the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, treating physicians should use the COVID-19 pneumonia regimen judiciously. Neurological involvement itself is a poor prognostic sign, but combined surgical and medical management exhibited better outcome.