Early evidence of pronounced brain involvement in fatal COVID-19 outcomes

The first cases of COVID-19 in Germany were confirmed in the greater Munich area and isolated in our hospital.

Subsequently, more than 690 patients were admitted for inpatient care, 103 of whom were transferred to the intensive care unit (ICU). 63 patients died in hospital. 587 patients recovered and were discharged.

Older patients with comorbidities are considered most at risk of death; however, there are reports of rapid decline and subsequent death in younger patients with no known comorbidities

 Pulmonary and heart failure are considered the primary causes of COVID-19-associated death, but the precise pathology of disease progression is unknown. Moreover, recent reports describe irregularities in coagulation for a subset of patients.

Here we report the findings of autopsies of six patients (four men and two women, aged 58–82 years) who died from COVID-19 in April, 2020.

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