Abstract

Introduction: There has been a recent surge in cerebral mucormycosis cases among COVID-19 patients due to several factors, including compromised barrier defense mechanisms and the administration of immunosuppressive drugs such as steroids for COVID-19 treatment. The primary aim of this study was to delineate the pattern of cerebral mucormycosis involvement and identify associated factors in COVID-19 patients. Materials and Methods: This observational study was conducted at a tertiary care Indian hospital. Data from 78 patients treated for post-COVID-19 mucormycosis with cerebral involvement were collected and analyzed. The study spanned nine months. Results: The average age of patients was 52.81 years and Male to Female ratio was 1.3:1. Majority of patients presented with eye-related symptoms at the time of diagnosis. Diabetes Mellitus was the most prevalent comorbidity among these patients, followed by a combination of Diabetes Mellitus and Hypertension. The MRI findings revealed that a majority of patients exhibited involvement of the left cerebral hemisphere, followed by involvement of both hemispheres. Additionally, MRI scans indicated infarcts in most cases, followed by abscess formation and non-specific changes. Among the deceased patients, the highest number showed non-specific brain changes according to MRI reports, followed by cerebral infarction.

Description