RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Thrombotic risk in COVID-19: a case series and case–control study
JF Clinical Medicine
JO Clin Med
FD Royal College of Physicians
SP e76
OP e81
DO 10.7861/clinmed.2020-0228
VO 20
IS 4
A1 Simon M Stoneham
A1 Kate M Milne
A1 Elisabeth Nuttall
A1 Georgina H Frew
A1 Beattie RH Sturrock
A1 Helena Sivaloganathan
A1 Eleni E Ladikou
A1 Stephen Drage
A1 Barbara Phillips
A1 Timothy JT Chevassut
A1 Alice C Eziefula
YR 2020
UL http://www.rcpjournals.org/content/20/4/e76.abstract
AB Background A possible association between COVID-19 infection and thrombosis, either as a direct consequence of the virus or as a complication of inflammation, is emerging in the literature. Data on the incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) are extremely limited.Methods We describe three cases of thromboembolism refractory to heparin treatment, the incidence of VTE in an inpatient cohort, and a case–control study to identify risk factors associated with VTE.Results We identified 274 confirmed (208) or probable (66) COVID-19 patients. 21 (7.7%) were diagnosed with VTE. D-dimer was elevated in both cases (confirmed VTE) and controls (no confirmed VTE) but higher levels were seen in confirmed VTE cases (4.1 vs 1.2 μg/mL, p<0.001).Conclusion Incidence of VTE is high in patients hospitalised with COVID-19. Urgent clinical trials are needed to evaluate the role of anticoagulation in COVID-19. Monitoring of D-dimer and anti-factor Xa levels may be beneficial in guiding management.