Impact of sleep disruption on cognitive function in patients with postacute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection: initial findings from a Neuro-COVID-19 clinic.

INTRODUCTION

Fatigue, brain fog, and sleep disturbance are among the most common symptoms of postacute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC). We sought to determine the impact of sleep disruption on cognition and quality of life in patients with neurologic manifestations of PASC (Neuro-PASC).

METHODS

Thirty-nine patients were recruited from Neuro-COVID-19 clinic. Mean age was 48.1 years, 71.8% were female, and 82% were never hospitalized for COVID-19. Patients were evaluated via clinical assessment, quality-of-life measures in domains of cognitive function, fatigue, sleep disturbance, anxiety, and depression, NIH Toolbox cognitive tests, and 7 days of wrist actigraphy.

RESULTS

The median number of neurologic symptoms attributed to PASC was 6, with brain fog being the most common in 89.7%. Regarding non-neurologic symptoms, 94.9% complained of fatigue and 74.4% of insomnia. Patients reported significant impairment in all quality-of-life domains and performed worse in a task of attention compared to a normative US population. Actigraphy showed Neuro-PASC patients had lower sleep efficiency, longer sleep latency (both  < 0.001), and later sleep midpoint ( = 0.039) compared to 71 age-matched healthy controls with no PASC history. Self-reported cognitive symptoms correlated with the severity of fatigue ( < 0.001), anxiety ( = 0.05), and depression ( < 0.01). Objective evidence of sleep disruption measured by wakefulness after sleep onset, sleep efficiency, and latency were associated with decreased performance in attention and processing speed.

CONCLUSION

Prospective studies including larger populations of patients are needed to fully determine the interplay of sleep disruption on the cognitive function and quality of life of patients with PASC.