Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome as a Rare Presentation of Coronavirus Disease 2019: A Case Report and Literature Review

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) disease is a global pandemic of different severity ranging from a mild respiratory disease to a severe septic shock. The current evidence is suggestive of the neuroinvasive potential of this disease. However, there are limited reports regarding posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) as a neurological complication of COVID-19 in the literature. Herein, we aimed to present a case of PRES in association with COVID-19 and review the current reports in this regard.

This report presents a case of PRES complicated with intracerebral hemorrhage in a 39-year-old male with COVID-19, presenting with sudden blood pressure crisis accompanied by seizure and confusional state.

Although the main clinical symptoms of COVID-19 are confined to the respiratory tract, the virus has the potential to target the brain, thereby inducing encephalitic syndrome, such as PRES.