COVID-19 pneumonia may increase risk of dementia, shows study

Patients hospitalised with COVID-19 pneumonia have a higher risk of developing dementia than those with other types of pneumonia, new research from the University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia and MU Health Care showed.  

The study, which was recently published in the journal Open Forum Infectious Diseases, pulled Cerner Real World Data from 1.4 billion medical encounters prior to July 31, 2021.  

The scientists selected patients hospitalised with pneumonia for more than 24 hours. Among 10,403 patients with COVID-19 pneumonia, 312 (3 per cent) developed new onset dementia after recovering, compared to 263 (2.5 per cent) of the 10,403 patients with other types of pneumonia diagnosed with dementia.  

“The risk of new onset dementia was more common in COVID-19 pneumonia patients over the age of 70 in our study,” said Adnan I. Qureshi, professor of clinical neurology at the MU School of Medicine and lead researcher of the study. “The type of dementia seen in survivors of COVID-19 infection mainly affects memory, ability to perform everyday tasks and self-regulation. Language and awareness of time and location remained relatively preserved,” Qureshi said.

The median time interval between infection and dementia diagnosis was 182 days for COVID-19 patients. The study only included new onset dementia associated with hospital admission during a short follow-up period. “Further study over longer periods of time would provide a more complete picture and may help to determine the underlying reasons why COVID-19 pneumonia might increase dementia risk,” Qureshi said.

“The findings suggest a role for screening for cognitive deficits among COVID-19 survivors. If there is evidence of impairment during screening and if the patient continues to report cognitive symptoms, a referral for comprehensive assessment may be necessary,” Qureshi added.