Reader Response: Bilateral Upper Limb Neuropathies After Prone Ventilation for COVID-19 Pneumonia
LucioMarinelli, Neurologist, University of Genova; IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Italy
CarloTrompetto, Neurologist and specialist in rehabilitative medicine, University of Genova; IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Italy
Submitted June 09, 2021
In their article, Diprose et al. state that "Guillain-Barré syndrome has been reported in patients with COVID-19, but other peripheral nerve complications have not been described.”1 However, it must be underlined that critical illness neuropathy has been described in many COVID-19 patients.2 Prone position ventilation has been specifically associated with lateral cutaneous nerve entrapment or meralgia paraesthetica, with possible bilateral involvement,3 as well as ulnar nerve neuropathy.4 It must be also noted that brachial plexus injury may occur also in patients not undergoing prone position ventilation.5
Disclosure
The authors report no relevant disclosures. Contact journal@neurology.org for full disclosures.
References
Diprose WK, Bainbridge L, Frith RW, Anderson NE. Bilateral Upper Limb Neuropathies After Prone Ventilation for COVID-19 Pneumonia. Neurol Clin Pract. 2021;11(2):e211-e213. doi:10.1212/CPJ.0000000000000944
Frithiof R, Rostami E, Kumlien E, et al. Critical illness polyneuropathy, myopathy and neuronal biomarkers in COVID-19 patients: A prospective study. Clin Neurophysiol. 2021;132(7):1733-1740. doi:10.1016/j.clinph.2021.03.016
Marinelli L, Mori L, Avanti C, et al. Meralgia Paraesthetica after Prone Position Ventilation in a Patient with COVID-19. Eur J Case Rep Intern Med. 2020;7(12):002039. Published 2020 Nov 16. doi:10.12890/2020_002039
Sayegh MJ, Larsen CG, Pinpin C, Intravia JM, Nellans KW. Ulnar Neuropathy After Intermittent Prone Positioning for COVID-19 Infection: A Preliminary Report of 3 Cases. JBJS Case Connect. 2021;11(1):10.2106/JBJS.CC.20.00729. Published 2021 Mar 19. doi:10.2106/JBJS.CC.20.00729
Han CY, Tarr AM, Gewirtz AN, et al. Brachial plexopathy as a complication of COVID-19. BMJ Case Rep. 2021;14(3):e237459. Published 2021 Mar 25. doi:10.1136/bcr-2020-237459
In their article, Diprose et al. state that "Guillain-Barré syndrome has been reported in patients with COVID-19, but other peripheral nerve complications have not been described.”1 However, it must be underlined that critical illness neuropathy has been described in many COVID-19 patients.2 Prone position ventilation has been specifically associated with lateral cutaneous nerve entrapment or meralgia paraesthetica, with possible bilateral involvement,3 as well as ulnar nerve neuropathy.4 It must be also noted that brachial plexus injury may occur also in patients not undergoing prone position ventilation.5
Disclosure
The authors report no relevant disclosures. Contact journal@neurology.org for full disclosures.
References