The Relationship Between Balance Disorders and Lung Involvement in COVID-19 Patients

Abstract

Introduction: To better understand COVID-19 and prevent the spread of the disease, symptoms associated with COVID-19 should be known. The list of symptoms of COVID-19 is expanding. This study aimed to examine the relation between balance disorders and radiologically detected lung involvement seen in COVID-19 patients. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Cerrahpasa School of Medicine Hospital and Cerrahpasa Medicine Faculty between July 2021 to June 2022. The study included 174 COVID-19 patients with pulmonary involvement (Group 1) and 174 COVID-19 patients without pulmonary involvement (Group 2). Balance disorders of the patients within one month after the diagnosis of COVID-19 were questioned with a self-reported questionnaire made over the phone. The incidence of balance disorders, type of balance disorder, onset time, duration, and severity were questioned. Results: Balance disorders were detected in 67 (19.3%) of the patients. Dizziness was detected in 60 (89.55%) of these patients, and vertigo was detected in seven (10.45%) of them. The number of patients with balance disorders was 49 (28.2%) in Group 1 and 18 (10.3%) in Group 2. The frequency of balance disorders was significantly higher in Group 1 (p= 0.001). Vertigo was detected in in (3.4%) and dizziness in 43 patients (24.7%) in Group 1, and vertigo was detected in one patient (0.6%) and dizziness in 17 patients (9.8%) in Group 2. The frequency of dizziness was significantly higher in Group 1 (p= 0.001). Balance disorders were significantly longer and more severe in Group 1 (p= 0.048, p= 0.029, respectively). Conclusion: Balance disorders can be a symptom of COVID-19, and they may be more frequent, more serious, and longer lasting in patients with pulmonary involvement.