ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAPHY DATA IN COVID-19 SURVIVORS WITH REGARD TO THE CLINICAL COURSE OF THE DISEASE

¹Shydlovska TA, ¹Kozak MS, ¹Ovsyanyk KYu, ¹Volkova TV, ²Bezeha MI, ¹Bezega BM

¹ State Institution “O.S. Kolomiychenko Institute of Otolaryngology of National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine”;
Email: lorprof3@ukr.net

² Poltava State Medical University, Department of Otorhinolaryngology with Ophthalmology, Poltava;
Email: bezega_lor@ukr.net

Abstract

Relevance: There is a large number of works devoted to the impact of the SARS-cov-19 virus on various organs and systems of the human body. At the same time, studying the impact of SARS-cov-19 on the organ of hearing, sensory systems and the central nervous system of a person is of great interest.

Purpose: to determine the indicators of bioelectrical activity of the brain according to EEG data in persons who have contracted COVID-19, taking into account the clinical course of the disease.

Materials and methods: 54 patients who fell ill with COVID-19 and have disorders of hearing, smell, taste, voice and changes on the part of the nervous system were examined, who were divided into 2 groups according to the clinical course of the disease: the first group included patients who fell ill with a mild form of COVID – 19 – 32 people, the second group – 22 patients, of medium severity. As a control group, 15 practically healthy individuals who did not suffer from COVID-19 and did not have disorders of the sensory system were examined. Electroencephalography (EEG) was performed with the help of a computer electroencephalograph of the company “DH-systems” (Ukraine).

Results and their discussion: When analysing the results of electroencephalography in persons who fell ill with COVID-19, deviations from the norm were found both in the background recording and in functional loads, which were more pronounced with a more severe course of COVID-19.

Quantitative EEG indicators in the second group of individuals with a more severe course of COVID-19 indicate a clear disorganization of the main rhythms, often with signs of dysfunction of the stem structures of the intermediate brain. Changes in the bioelectric activity of the brain were more often detected in the frontal and occipital leads, which is significantly (Р<0,05) different from the indicators of the control and first groups, especially when performing functional loads. Such changes indicate signs of functional disorders of the bioelectric activity of the brain and irritation of its cortical and deep structures. Conducted studies have shown that in people who have contracted COVID-19, there is a significant increase in the representation of delta and beta rhythms and a decrease in the share of alpha frequencies.

Conclusions:

1. According to electroencephalography data, deviations from the norm of quantitative indicators of bioelectrical activity of the brain are observed in persons who have fallen ill with COVID-19, both in the background recording and during functional loads, which indicates signs of functional disorders of the brain and irritation. its cortical and deep structures.
2. Changes on the part of the central nervous system in patients with disorders of the function of sound perception and other sensory systems after suffering from COVID-19 are often manifested by a significant (Р<0,05) increase in the content of delta and beta activity, which indicates desynchronization of cortical rhythms and involvement subcortical structures. Such changes are much more pronounced in patients with a more severe course of the disease.

Keywords: COVID-19, hearing, hearing analyser, hearing loss, bioelectrical activity of the brain, sense of smell.