High incidence of venous thrombosis in patients with moderate-to-severe COVID-19

Abstract

Increasing evidence suggests that COVID-19 may be associated with venous thromboembolism, and much data exists regarding high incidence of venous thrombosis in critical COVID-19 patients. However, evidence on this complication in less severe patients is not widely available. The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence of deep-vein thrombosis (DVT) in patients with moderate-to-severe COVID-19, to assess the prevalence of DVT with duplex ultrasound, and to compare patients with DVT and those without it using lung computerized tomography (CT), clinical information and lab data. The subjects of this study were 75 consecutive patients (aged 27-92 y, median-63 y; 36 males and 39 females) with moderate-to-severe COVID-19. DVT was found in 15 patients (20%). The vast majority of those with DVT (13 patients, 86.7%) had thrombi in calf veins and 2 (13.3%) had ileofemoral thrombosis. High incidence of DVT (20%) is observed even in patients with moderate-to-severe COVID-19. These patients require early anticoagulation therapy as part of their treatment. Such therapy may be continued after hospital discharge and these patients may also require follow-up vein ultrasonography after recovery to rule out DVT.

Keywords: Anticoagulants; COVID-19; Thrombosis; Venous thrombosis.