Open AccessIs COVID Evolution Due to Occurrence of Pulmonary Vascular Thrombosis?
Author(s) -
Luca Saba,
Nicola Sverzellati
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of thoracic imaging
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.836
H-Index - 57
eISSN - 1536-0237
pISSN - 0883-5993
DOI - 10.1097/rti.0000000000000530
Subject(s) - medicine , antithrombotic , thrombosis , covid-19 , disseminated intravascular coagulation , coagulation , lung , disease , vascular disease , peripheral , cardiology , intensive care medicine , pathology , infectious disease (medical specialty) , outbreak
In this hypothesis paper, we suggest that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) may induce intravascular pulmonary thrombosis, which may result in the rapid worsening of clinical conditions and, eventually, exitus. Previously published papers have demonstrated that increased levels of D-dimer at hospital admission correlate with a more severe disease (0.5 mg/L) or occurrence of death (1 mg/L). The potential prothrombotic action of the SARS-CoV-2 is supported by the topographical involvement of the lung regions with a predilection for the lower lobe with peripheral involvement. If this hypothesis is demonstrated, this could suggest the benefit of using antithrombotic/coagulation regimens for SARS-CoV-2 and, at the same time, the urgency to identify drugs that could alter the inflammatory storm, thus protecting the vessel wall.