Title Instrumental Evaluation of COVID-19 Related Dysautonomia in Non-Critically-Ill Patients: An Observational, Cross-Sectional Study.
Author Bellavia, Simone; Scala, Irene; Luigetti, Marco; Brunetti, Valerio; Gabrielli, Maurizio; Zileri Dal Verme, Lorenzo; Servidei, Serenella; Calabresi, Paolo; Frisullo, Giovanni; Della Marca, Giacomo
Journal J Clin Med Publication Year/Month 2021-Dec
PMID 34945155 PMCID PMC8703676
Affiliation + expend 1.School of Medicine and Surgery, Catholic University of Sacred Heart, Largo Francesco Vito, 1, 00168 Rome, Italy.

Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) is a predominantly respiratory syndrome. Growing reports about a SARS-CoV-2 neurological involvement, including autonomic dysfunction (AD), have been reported, mostly in critically-ill patients, or in the long-COVID syndrome. In this observational, cross-sectional study, we investigated the prevalence of AD in 20 non-critically-ill COVID-19 patients (COVID+ group) in the acute phase of the disease through a composite instrumental evaluation consisting of Sudoscan, automated pupillometry, heart rate variability (HRV), and pulse transit time (PTT). All the parameters were compared to a control group of 20 healthy volunteers (COVID- group). COVID+ group presented higher values of pupillary dilatation velocities, and baseline pupil diameter than COVID- subjects. Moreover, COVID+ patients presented a higher incidence of feet sudomotor dysfunction than COVID- group. No significant differences emerged in HRV and PTT parameters between groups. In this study we observed the occurrence of autonomic dysfunction in the early stage of the disease.

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