Introduction

The relationship between dyspnea and COVID-19 is unknown. In COVID-19 patients, the higher prevalence of neurological symptoms and the lack of dyspnea may suggest common underlying pathogenetic mechanisms. The aim of this preliminary study is to address whether there is a lack of dyspnea in COVID-19 patients and if there is a relationship between neurological symptoms and the perception of dyspnea.

Methods

A structured interview regarding the occurrence of subjective neurological symptoms was performed and coupled with a questionnaire about the intensity and qualities of dyspnea. Respiratory rate (RR) and an arterial blood gas on room air were concurrently evaluated.

Results

Twenty-two patients (age 68.4 ± 13.9 years, 13 males and 9 females) were included and divided into two groups according to the Borg dyspnea scale: dyspneic patients BU ≥ 1(DYSP) and non-dyspneic patients BU < 1 (NDYSP). The prevalence of dyspnea overall was 31.8%. The prevalence of neurological symptoms, dyspnea descriptors, RR, pH, PaCO₂, PaO₂, or lactate was similar between groups.

Conclusion

This study confirms that the prevalence of dyspnea is low in non-severe COVID-19 patients, but contrary to our hypothesis of a relationship between shortness of breath and neurological symptoms, we have not been able to find any evidence of an impairment in dyspnea perception, either in the DYSP or NDYSP group.

中文翻译：

---

非严重COVID-19患者的呼吸困难知觉和神经系统症状

介绍

呼吸困难与COVID-19之间的关系未知。在COVID-19患者中，较高的神经系统症状发生率和呼吸困难的缺乏可能提示常见的潜在致病机制。这项初步研究的目的是解决COVID-19患者是否缺乏呼吸困难，以及神经系统症状和呼吸困难知觉之间是否存在关系。

方法

对主观神经症状的发生进行了结构化访谈，并进行了有关呼吸困难的强度和质量的问卷调查。同时评估了呼吸速率（RR）和室内空气中的动脉血气。

结果

纳入22例患者（年龄68.4±13.9岁，男13例，女9例），并根据博格呼吸困难评分分为两组：呼吸困难的患者BU≥1（DYSP）和非呼吸困难的患者BU <1（NDYSP） 。总体呼吸困难的患病率为31.8％。两组之间的神经系统症状，呼吸困难描述符，RR，pH，PaCO ₂，PaO ₂或乳酸的发生率相似。

结论

这项研究证实，在非严重COVID-19患者中呼吸困难的患病率较低，但与我们的呼吸急促和神经系统症状之间的关系的假设相反，我们尚未找到呼吸困难知觉障碍的任何证据。 ，位于DYSP或NDYSP组中。