Although patients undergoing COVID-19 NAT took slightly longer time from admission to a craniotomy (35.9 ± 15.3 vs. 40.2 ± 20.4 h; 4.4, 95% CI − 7.3 to 16.0, P = 0.453), there were no differences in preoperative hospitalized adverse events and postoperative prognosis of the patients with or without COVID-19 NAT (− 0.3, 95% CI − 1.4 to 0.9, P = 0.653, Table 4). The gene discussed is BRD2; the disease is COVID-19.