Open AccessInfarction of the Splenium of the Corpus Callosum in the Age of COVID-19
Author(s) -
Steven A. Sparr,
Phyllis Bieri
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
stroke
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.397
H-Index - 319
eISSN - 1524-4628
pISSN - 0039-2499
DOI - 10.1161/strokeaha.120.030434
Subject(s) - splenium , corpus callosum , medicine , infarction , stroke (engine) , encephalopathy , cardiology , pathology , myocardial infarction , radiology , magnetic resonance imaging , white matter , mechanical engineering , engineering
Background and Purpose: Ischemic infarction of the corpus callosum is rare and infarction isolated to the corpus callosum alone rarer still, accounting for much <1% of ischemic stroke in most stroke registries. About half of callosal infarctions affect the splenium. Methods: During a 2-week period, at the height of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in New York City, 4 patients at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx were found to have ischemic lesions of the splenium of the corpus callosum, 2 with infarction isolated to the corpus callosum. Results: All patients tested positive for COVID-19 and 3 had prolonged periods of intubation. All had cardiovascular risk factors. Clinically, all presented with encephalopathy and had evidence of coagulopathy and raised inflammatory markers. Conclusions: Infarction of the splenium of the corpus callosum is exceedingly rare and a cluster of such cases suggests COVID-19 as an inciting agent, with the mechanisms to be elucidated.