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Infections are a significant cause of movement disorders. The clinical manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 infection are variable, with up to one-third of patients developing neurologic complications, including movement disorders.
The main characteristics on myoclonus in the context of SARS-CoV-2 infection are presented in Table 1.
Article | Databases | Date of Search | Findings | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Brandao 2021 [11] | PubMed | Up to 25 January 2021 | 59/93 cases presented myoclonus |
Investigated movement disorders among patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection. |
Chan 2021 [13] | PubMed and Medline | Up to 6 December 2020 |
51 cases of myoclonus or ataxia |
Investigated myoclonus and cerebellar ataxia associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. |
Giannantoni 2021 [14] | PubMed and Cochrane Library |
The date is not specified | 6 cases | Investigated myoclonus and ataxia in COVID-19 patients. |
Hirschfeld 2021 [15] | PubMed | Up to 31 July 2021 | 33 cases of myoclonus |
Among the autoimmune- mediated hyperkinetic movement disorders, the most common was ataxia (83.67%), followed by myoclonus (67.35%). |
Roy 2021 [16] | PubMed and Google Scholar | Up to 30 May 2020 | 4 cases with myoclonus |
The main focus of the paper was on the neurological and neuropsychiatric impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. |
Salari 2021 [17] | PubMed and Scopus | The date of the search is not specified | 64 patients with movement disorders |
Limited data on myoclonus. |
Schneider 2021 [10] | PubMed and MedRxiv | Up to August 2021 | More than 50 cases | The exact number of myoclonus cases is not specified. Narrative review. |
Findings may be limited by the quality and breadth of the data in the case reports, which may not be uniform or consistent in all papers. However, case reports represent a relevant, appropriate, and essential study design in promoting scientific knowledge, especially in the case of rare disorders. Although the methodological limitations of case studies in the analysis of treatments and the development of new tests are well known, observing single patients can provide useful insights on the etiology, pathogenesis, natural history, and treatment, especially in rare disorders [18].
Furthermore, case reports and case series have significantly influenced medical knowledge and continue to promoter scientific research and understanding [19]. Although several concerns were raised about the high likelihood of bias associated with single case reports or case series and the weak inferences they may provide, such observations are an important basis for learning by pattern recognition and further progress of medical knowledge [19]. For example, a systematic review of the cases with lipodystrophy enabled authors to propose the core and supportive clinical features of the disease and to narratively present the data on available treatment options [20].
The key findings will be detailed, allowing their use to inform clinical practice. However, implications for practice may be hampered because of the lack of the methodological quality assessment of included studies [21].
To date, several studies on different movement disorders in COVID-19 patients have been performed. However, most studies are up to December 2020, and the studies report only disparate aspects of movement disorders in SARS-CoV-2 infections. Consequently, the outcomes of the evidence-based approach will provide significant information to clinicians and other healthcare professionals, policymakers, and public health scientists.