Critical Care (Jun 2020)

The unique characteristics of COVID-19 coagulopathy

  • Toshiaki Iba,
  • Jerrold H. Levy,
  • Jean Marie Connors,
  • Theodore E. Warkentin,
  • Jecko Thachil,
  • Marcel Levi

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13054-020-03077-0
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 24, no. 1
pp. 1 – 8

Abstract

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Abstract Thrombotic complications and coagulopathy frequently occur in COVID-19. However, the characteristics of COVID-19-associated coagulopathy (CAC) are distinct from those seen with bacterial sepsis-induced coagulopathy (SIC) and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), with CAC usually showing increased D-dimer and fibrinogen levels but initially minimal abnormalities in prothrombin time and platelet count. Venous thromboembolism and arterial thrombosis are more frequent in CAC compared to SIC/DIC. Clinical and laboratory features of CAC overlap somewhat with a hemophagocytic syndrome, antiphospholipid syndrome, and thrombotic microangiopathy. We summarize the key characteristics of representative coagulopathies, discussing similarities and differences so as to define the unique character of CAC.

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