SHM Converge Scientific Abstract ePoster Gallery-First Manic Episode Following Sars-Cov-2 Infection

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This case report describes a 40-year-old man with no prior medical, psychiatric, family, or substance-use history who developed his first manic episode shortly after a mild SARS-CoV-2 infection. He was diagnosed with COVID-19 by PCR and began showing manic symptoms five days later, including tangential speech, grandiose delusions, flight of ideas, and ten days without sleep. <br /><br />A broad medical evaluation found no alternative cause: CBC, BMP, vital signs, urine toxicology, infectious workup, autoimmune testing, heavy metals, CT head, chest X-ray, and MRI of the head/brain were all normal or negative. The patient was treated with olanzapine and valproate, and his symptoms started improving within five days. He was discharged with outpatient follow-up and had no reported complications afterward.<br /><br />The report emphasizes that manic episodes have been increasingly recognized in association with COVID-19, but proving a direct causal link is difficult because many cases involve confounding factors such as corticosteroid use, ICU delirium, pre-existing psychiatric illness, family history, or substance use. This case is notable because those typical confounders were absent, strengthening the possibility that SARS-CoV-2 itself may contribute to new-onset mania.<br /><br />The authors conclude that clinicians should consider COVID-19–associated mania in patients presenting with first-time manic symptoms, especially when common alternative explanations are not found.

Asset Subtitle

Bedir Alihsan

Meta Tag

Author List Bedir Alihsan, Dennis T. Roarke, Simon Kashfi

Category Clinical Vignettes

Concept COVID-19 Infection

Concept Mania

Concept Manic Episode

Concept Substance Use

Concept Grandiose Delusion

Distinguished Non-Finalist

Presenter Organization Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell

Presenting Author Bedir Alihsan

Track Adult

Keywords

COVID-19

mania

manic episode

SARS-CoV-2

new-onset psychiatric symptoms

olanzapine

valproate

case report

grandiose delusions

first-time mania

COVID-19 Infection

Mania

Manic Episode

Substance Use

Grandiose Delusion