Dynamics of vegetative, insomnia and neuropsychological manifestations during the treatment of post-COVID syndrome

Abstract

Introduction. Asthenia, vegetative manifestations, sleep disturbances and psycho-emotional background are companions of the coronavirus infection, the issue of drug correction of which is especially relevant. These symptoms disrupt the habitual way of life of patients for a long time, and in special cases lead to disability.Aim. To study the mental, somatoform and cognitive aspects of anxiety disorders after coronavirus infection during treatment with tofisopam (Grandaxin®) 150 mg/day.Materials and methods. The study included patients who had experienced a new coronavirus infection, who, after the end of treatment for the underlying disease, had complaints suggesting the presence of an anxiety disorder. The Hamilton scale was used to assess the level of anxiety. Examination of patients was carried out before the start of treatment, after 2, 4 and 6 weeks of therapy.Results and discussion. Prior to the start of therapy, all patients had an overall high level of anxiety: the average HAM-A score was 31.4 ± 2.92 points. At the end of Grandaxin® therapy, all patients showed a decrease in the level of anxiety: the average HAM-A score was 12.08 ± 2.27 points (p < 0.001). The maximum decrease in the severity of vegetative disorders was noted by the end of the 6th week of therapy with Grandaxin®. Thus, the indicator of this subscale decreased by more than 2 times – from 2.46 ± 0.54 to 1.05 ± 0.28 points (p < 0.001). The severity of insomnia during six weeks of therapy with Grandaxin® decreased from 2.56 ± 0.54 to 0.96 ± 0.45 points (p < 0.001).Conclusion. Psycho-emotional disorders (more often in the form of increased personal anxiety), sleep disorders, vegetative disorders, asthenic syndrome significantly affect the quality of life of patients who have had a new coronavirus infection. Involvement of the structures of the autonomic nervous system and central structures that regulate GABAergic transmission leads to significant vegetative failures, which requires pathogenetically substantiated drug correction of these disorders.