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Review
. 2022 Sep 8;23(18):10372.
doi: 10.3390/ijms231810372.

Venous Thromboembolic Disease in COVID-19, Pathophysiology, Therapy and Prophylaxis

Małgorzata Dybowska  1 , Dorota Wyrostkiewicz  1 , Lucyna Opoka  2 , Katarzyna Lewandowska  1 , Małgorzata Sobiecka  1 , Witold Tomkowski  1 , Monika Szturmowicz  1
Affiliations
Review

Venous Thromboembolic Disease in COVID-19, Pathophysiology, Therapy and Prophylaxis

Małgorzata Dybowska et al. Int J Mol Sci. .

Abstract

For over two years, the world has been facing the epidemiological and health challenge of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Growing problems are also complications after the development of COVID-19 in the form of post and long- COVID syndromes, posing a challenge for the medical community, both for clinicians and the scientific world. SARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular complications, especially thromboembolic complications, which are associated with both thrombosis of small and very small vessels due to immunothrombosis, and the development of venous thromboembolism. Low molecular wight heparin (LMHW) are the basic agents used in the prevention and treatment of thromboembolic complications in COVID-19. There is still a great deal of controversy regarding both the prevention and treatment of thromboembolic complications, including the prophylaxis dose or the optimal duration of anticoagulant treatment in patients with an episode of venous thromboembolism.

Keywords: COVID-19; NETs; SARS-CoV-2; anticoagulation treatment; immunothrombosis; thromboprophylaxis; venous thromboembolism.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
(a) Chest X-ray shows opacities due to COVID-19 dominating peripherally in the lower zones of the lungs. Reduction in the volume of the lungs (white arrows); (b) Chest X-ray after six months of follow-up shows an almost complete regression of lung opacities (white arrows).
Figure 2
Figure 2
(a) Chest CT scan (mediastinal window, coronal view) shows pulmonary embolism that affects the right pulmonary artery, lobar arteries of the right lower and upper lobes and interlobar pulmonary artery (white arrow); (b) Chest CT scan after six months of follow-up shows complete resolution of thrombosis (white arrow).
Figure 3
Figure 3
(a) Chest CT scans (lung window, coronal view) show patchy ground-glass opacities in accordance with COVID-19 dominant in the peripheral zones of the lower lungs (black arrows); (b) Chest CT scans (lung window, coronal view) after six months of follow-up show resolution of lung lesions (black arrows).
Figure 3
Figure 3
(a) Chest CT scans (lung window, coronal view) show patchy ground-glass opacities in accordance with COVID-19 dominant in the peripheral zones of the lower lungs (black arrows); (b) Chest CT scans (lung window, coronal view) after six months of follow-up show resolution of lung lesions (black arrows).
Figure 4
Figure 4
(a) The impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on endothelial cells and platelets; (b) Influence of SARS-CoV-2 infection on coagulation processes.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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