Sex differences in neurologic presentation and outcome of SARS-CoV-2, especially cerebrovascular manifestations
- Journal of Neurology & Stroke
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Rocco Galimi,1 Miriam Galimi2
Abstract
Neurological manifestations of COVID-19 and their impact have not been well characterized. Neurological involvement may be caused directly by the effects of the virus infecting the brain or indirectly by the local and systemic immune responses against the virus. Acute cerebrovascular disease, particularly ischemic stroke, has emerged as a serious complication of infection by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The arrival of COVID-19 represented a unique occasion to study sex difference, and accentuated the need for further study to elucidate the mechanisms that differentiate clinical outcomes among male and female patients. Recent pandemics has a clear sex disparity in clinical outcomes, and morbidity and mortality from COVID-19 are higher among men.
Keywords
COVID-19, inflammation, neurological complication, sex differences, immune system, neurologic prognosis