Prominent changes in blood coagulation of patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection

Acute Kidney Injury Associated with Coronavirus Disease 2019 in Urban New Orleans

Background

AKI is a manifestation of COVID-19 (CoV-AKI). However, there is paucity of data from the United States, particularly from a predominantly black population. We report the phenotype and outcomes of AKI at an academic hospital in New Orleans.

Methods

We conducted an observational study in patients hospitalized at Ochsner Medical Center over a 1-month period with COVID-19 and diagnosis of AKI (KDIGO). We examined the rates of RRT and in-hospital mortality as outcome measures.

Results

Among 575 admissions (70% black) with COVID-19 [173 (30%) to an intensive care unit (ICU)], we found 161 (28%) cases of AKI (61% ICU and 14% general ward admissions). Patients were predominantly men (62%) and hypertensive (83%). Median body mass index (BMI) was higher among those with AKI (34 versus 31 kg/m2, P<0.0001). AKI over preexisting CKD occurred in 35%. Median follow-up was 25 (1–45) days. The in-hospital mortality rate for the AKI cohort was 50%. Vasopressors and/or mechanical ventilation were required in 105 (65%) of those with AKI. RRT was required in 89 (55%) patients. Those with AKI requiring RRT (AKI-RRT) had higher median BMI (35 versus 33 kg/m2, P=0.05) and younger age (61 versus 68, P=0.0003). Initial values of ferritin, C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, and lactate dehydrogenase were higher among those with AKI; and among them, values were higher for those with AKI-RRT. Ischemic acute tubular injury (ATI) and rhabdomyolysis accounted for 66% and 7% of causes, respectively. In 13%, no obvious cause of AKI was identified aside from COVID-19 diagnosis.

Conclusions

CoV-AKI is associated with high rates of RRT and death. Higher BMI and inflammatory marker levels are associated with AKI as well as with AKI-RRT. Hemodynamic instability leading to ischemic ATI is the predominant cause of AKI in this setting.

Coronavirus Disease 2019 and Stroke: Clinical Manifestations and Pathophysiological Insights

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Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

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Some COVID-19 patients have exhibited widespread neurological manifestations including stroke.

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Acute ischemic stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage, and cerebral venous sinus thrombosis have been reported in patients with COVID-19.

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COVID-19-associated coagulopathy is likely caused by inflammation.

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Resultant ACE2 down-regulation causes RAS imbalance, which may lead to stroke.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is a global health threat. Some COVID-19 patients have exhibited widespread neurological manifestations including stroke. Acute ischemic stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage, and cerebral venous sinus thrombosis have been reported in patients with COVID-19. COVID-19-associated coagulopathy is increasingly recognized as a result of acute infection and is likely caused by inflammation, including inflammatory cytokine storm. Recent studies suggest that axonal transport of SARS-CoV-2 to the brain can occur via the cribriform plate adjacent to the olfactory bulb that may lead to symptomatic anosmia. The internalization of SARS-CoV-2 is mediated by the binding of the spike glycoprotein of the virus to the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) on cellular membranes. ACE2 is expressed in several tissues including lung alveolar cells, gastrointestinal tissue, and brain. The aim of this review is to provide insights into the clinical manifestations and pathophysiological mechanisms of stroke in COVID-19 patients. SARS-CoV-2 can down-regulate ACE2 and, in turn, overactivate the classical renin-angiotensin system (RAS) axis and decrease the activation of the alternative RAS pathway in the brain. The consequent imbalance in vasodilation, neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and thrombotic response may contribute to the pathophysiology of stroke during SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Neutrophil extracellular traps and thrombosis in COVID-19

BACKGROUND

Early studies of patients with COVID-19 have demonstrated markedly dysregulated coagulation and a high risk of morbid arterial and venous thrombotic events. While elevated levels of blood neutrophils and neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) have been described in patients with COVID-19, their potential role in COVID-19-associated thrombosis remains unknown.

OBJECTIVES

To elucidate the potential role of hyperactive neutrophils and NET release in COVID-19-associated thrombosis.

PATIENTS/METHODS

This is a retrospective, case-control study of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 who developed thrombosis (n=11), as compared with gender- and age-matched COVID-19 patients without clinical thrombosis (n=33). In addition to capturing clinical data, we measured remnants of NETs (cell-free DNA, myeloperoxidase-DNA complexes, and citrullinated histone H3) and neutrophil-derived S100A8/A9 (calprotectin) in patient sera.

RESULTS

The majority of patients (9/11) were receiving at least prophylactic doses of heparinoids at the time thrombosis was diagnosed. As compared with controls, patients with COVID-19-associated thrombosis had significantly higher blood levels of markers of NETs (cell-free DNA, myeloperoxidase-DNA complexes, citrullinated histone H3) and neutrophil activation (calprotectin). The thrombosis group also had higher levels of D-dimer, CRP, ferritin, and platelets, but not troponin or neutrophils. Finally, there were strong associations between markers of hyperactive neutrophils (calprotectin and cell-free DNA) and D-dimer.

CONCLUSION

Elevated levels of neutrophil activation and NET formation in patients hospitalized with COVID-19 are associated with higher risk of morbid thrombotic complications. These observations underscore the need for urgent investigation into the potential relationship between NETs and unrelenting thrombosis in COVID-19.

COVID-19 and Pulmonary Embolism: Not a Coincidence

In December 2019, a novel coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2 was reported to be responsible for a cluster of acute atypical respiratory pneumonia cases in Wuhan, in Hubei province, China. The disease caused by this virus is called COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019). The virus is transmitted between humans and the outbreak was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 11 March 2020. Coagulopathy is a common abnormality in patients with COVID-19 due to inflammation, hypoxia, immobilisation, endothelial damage and diffuse intravascular coagulation. However, the data on this topic are still limited. Here we report the case of a man presenting with pneumonia complicated by bilateral pulmonary embolism

Transcriptional landscape of SARS-CoV-2 infection dismantles pathogenic pathways activated by the virus, proposes unique sex-specific differences and predicts tailored therapeutic strategies

The emergence of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) disease (COVID-19) has posed a serious threat to global health. As no specific therapeutics are yet available to control disease evolution, more in-depth understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms induced by SARS-CoV-2 will help to characterize new targets for the management of COVID-19. The present study identified a specific set of biological pathways altered in primary human lung epithelium upon SARS-CoV-2 infection, and a comparison with SARS-CoV from the 2003 pandemic was studied. The transcriptomic profiles were also exploited as possible novel therapeutic targets, and anti-signature perturbation analysis predicted potential drugs to control disease progression. Among them, Mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK), serine-threonine kinase (AKT), mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and I kappa B Kinase (IKK) inhibitors emerged as candidate drugs. Finally, sex-specific differences that may underlie the higher COVID-19 mortality in men are proposed.

Cerebrovascular Disease in Patients with COVID-19: A Review of the Literature and Case Series

COVID-19 has been associated with a hypercoagulable state causing cardiovascular and neurovascular complications. To further characterize cerebrovascular disease (CVD) in COVID-19, we review the current literature of published cases and additionally report the clinical presentation, laboratory and diagnostic testing results of 12 cases with COVID-19 infection and concurrent CVD from two academic medical centers in Houston, TX, USA, between March 1 and May 10, 2020. To date, there are 12 case studies reporting 47 cases of CVD in COVID-19. However, only 4 small case series have described the clinical and laboratory findings in patients with COVID-19 and concurrent stroke. Viral neurotropism, endothelial dysfunction, coagulopathy and inflammation are plausible proposed mechanisms of CVD in COVID-19 patients. In our case series of 12 patients, 10 patients had an ischemic stroke, of which 1 suffered hemorrhagic transformation and two had intracerebral hemorrhage. Etiology was determined to be embolic without a clear cause identified in 6 ischemic stroke patients, while the remaining had an identifiable source of stroke. The majority of the patients had elevated inflammatory markers such as D-dimer and interleukin-6. In patients with embolic stroke of unclear etiology, COVID-19 may have played a direct or indirect role in the processes that eventually led to the strokes while in the remaining cases, it is unclear if infection contributed partially or was an incidental finding.

Fibrinolytic therapy for refractory COVID-19 acute respiratory distress syndrome: Scientific rationale and review

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused respiratory failure and associated mortality in numbers that have overwhelmed global health systems. Thrombotic coagulopathy is present in nearly three quarters of patients with COVID-19 admitted to the intensive care unit, and both the clinical picture and pathologic findings are consistent with microvascular occlusive phenomena being a major contributor to their unique form of respiratory failure. Numerous studies are ongoing focusing on anticytokine therapies, antibiotics, and antiviral agents, but none to date have focused on treating the underlying thrombotic coagulopathy in an effort to improve respiratory failure in COVID-19. There are animal data and a previous human trial demonstrating a survival advantage with fibrinolytic therapy to treat acute respiratory distress syndrome. Here, we review the extant and emerging literature on the relationship between thrombotic coagulopathy and pulmonary failure in the context of COVID-19 and present the scientific rationale for consideration of targeting the coagulation and fibrinolytic systems to improve pulmonary function in these patients.

Insights for increased risk of failed fibrinolytic therapy and stent thrombosis associated with COVID-19 in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction patients

Important health resources are dedicated worldwide to the management of COVID‐19. This new disease, due to its large diffusion, may significantly hamper the prognosis of other pathologies, such as ST‐segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) because of (a) a possible direct negative impact and (b) shortage of first response medical resources and increased delays to reperfusion. We report the case of a 68‐year‐old man admitted for anterior STEMI and asymptomatic COVID‐19. Due to extended transportation delays to a cathlab, he received intravenous fibrinolytic therapy, which failed. Reperfusion was achieved with rescue coronary angioplasty, but the patient experienced two episodes of acute stent thrombosis at 2‐ and 36‐hr following admission and despite optimal medical therapy. He finally died because of cardiogenic shock. This raises concerns about a possible increase in platelet aggregability associated with COVID‐19 leading to an increased risk of stent thrombosis, particularly in the context of STEMI. This pleads for the promotion of primary coronary angioplasty as the first‐choice revascularization technique in this population and the use of new generation P2Y12 inhibitors. In addition, the use of GPIIb/IIIa inhibitors may be considered in every STEMI patient with COVID‐19 to prevent the risk of acute stent thrombosis.

Acute limb ischemia in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia

Objective

The aim of our study was to determine the incidence, characteristics, and clinical outcomes of patients with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) infection who had presented with and been treated for acute limb ischemia (ALI) during the 2020 coronavirus pandemic.

Methods

We performed a single-center, observational cohort study. The data from all patients who had tested positive for COVID-19 and had presented with ALI requiring urgent operative treatment were collected in a prospectively maintained database. For the present series, successful revascularization of the treated arterial segment was defined as the absence of early (<30 days) re-occlusion or major amputation or death within 24 hours. The primary outcomes were successful revascularization, early (≤30 days) and late (≥30 days) survival, postoperative (≤30 days) complications, and limb salvage.

Results

We evaluated the data from 20 patients with ALI who were positive for COVID-19. For the period from January to March, the incidence rate of patients presenting with ALI in 2020 was significantly greater than that for the same months in 2019 (23 of 141 [16.3%] vs 3 of 163 [1.8%]; P < .001)]. Of the 20 included patients, 18 were men (90%) and two were women (10%). Their mean age was 75 ± 9 years (range, 62-95 years). All 20 patients already had a diagnosis of COVID-19 pneumonia. Operative treatment was performed in 17 patients (85%). Revascularization was successful in 12 of the 17 (70.6%). Although successful revascularization was not significantly associated with the postoperative use of intravenous heparin (64.7% vs 83.3%; P = .622), no patient who had received intravenous heparin required reintervention. Of the 20 patients, eight (40%) had died in the hospital. The patients who had died were significantly older (81 ± 10 years vs 71 ± 5 years; P = .008). The use of continuous postoperative systemic heparin infusion was significantly associated with survival (0% vs 57.1%; P = .042).

Conclusions

In our preliminary experience, the incidence of ALI has significantly increased during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Italian Lombardy region. Successful revascularization was lower than expected, which we believed was due to a virus-related hypercoagulable state. The use of prolonged systemic heparin might improve surgical treatment efficacy, limb salvage, and overall survival.

Mild versus severe COVID-19: Laboratory markers

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Several laboratory parameters may facilitate the assessment of COVID-19 severity

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Discriminating mild from severe COVID-19 disease

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Cumulative data from clinical characteristics of COVID-19 patients

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Low lymphocyte count as well as the serum levels of CRP, D-dimers, ferritin and IL-6

The number of COVID-19 patients is dramatically increasing worldwide. Treatment in intensive care units (ICU) has become a major challenge; therefore, early recognition of severe forms is absolutely essential for timely triaging of patients. While the clinical status, in particular peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2) levels, and concurrent comorbidities of COVID-19 patients largely determine the need for their admittance to ICUs, several laboratory parameters may facilitate the assessment of disease severity. Clinicians should consider low lymphocyte count as well as the serum levels of CRP, D-dimers, ferritin, cardiac troponin and IL-6, which may be used in risk stratification to predict severe and fatal COVID-19 in hospitalised patients. It is more likely that the course of the disease will be unfavourable if some or all of these parameters are altered.

Venous and arterial thromboembolic complications in COVID-19 patients admitted to an academic hospital in Milan, Italy

Background

Few data are available on the rate and characteristics of thromboembolic complications in hospitalized patients with COVID-19.

Methods

We studied consecutive symptomatic patients with laboratory-proven COVID-19 admitted to a university hospital in Milan, Italy (13.02.2020–10.04.2020). The primary outcome was any thromboembolic complication, including venous thromboembolism (VTE), ischemic stroke, and acute coronary syndrome (ACS)/myocardial infarction (MI). Secondary outcome was overt disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC).

Results

We included 388 patients (median age 66 years, 68% men, 16% requiring intensive care [ICU]). Thromboprophylaxis was used in 100% of ICU patients and 75% of those on the general ward. Thromboembolic events occurred in 28 (7.7% of closed cases; 95%CI 5.4%–11.0%), corresponding to a cumulative rate of 21% (27.6% ICU, 6.6% general ward). Half of the thromboembolic events were diagnosed within 24 h of hospital admission. Forty-four patients underwent VTE imaging tests and VTE was confirmed in 16 (36%). Computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA) was performed in 30 patients, corresponding to 7.7% of total, and pulmonary embolism was confirmed in 10 (33% of CTPA). The rate of ischemic stroke and ACS/MI was 2.5% and 1.1%, respectively. Overt DIC was present in 8 (2.2%) patients.

Conclusions

The high number of arterial and, in particular, venous thromboembolic events diagnosed within 24 h of admission and the high rate of positive VTE imaging tests among the few COVID-19 patients tested suggest that there is an urgent need to improve specific VTE diagnostic strategies and investigate the efficacy and safety of thromboprophylaxis in ambulatory COVID-19 patients.

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COVID-19 is characterized by coagulation activation and endothelial dysfunction. Few data are available on thromboembolic complications.

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We studied symptomatic patients with laboratory-proven COVID-19 admitted to a university hospital in Milan, Italy (13.02-10.04.2020).

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Venous and arterial thromboembolic events occurred in 8% of hospitalized patients (cumulative rate 21.0%) and 50% of events were diagnosed within 24 h of hospital admission.

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Forty-four (11% of total) patients underwent VTE imaging tests; 16 were positive (36% of tests), suggesting underestimation of thromboembolic complications.

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There is an urgent need to investigate VTE diagnostic strategies and the impact of thromboprophylaxis in ambulatory COVID-19 patients.

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection and the Upper Limb Deep Vein Thrombosis Risk

Little or nothing is known about the correlation between the upper limb deep vein thrombosis (UL-DVT) and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS–CoV-2). We describe the increased risk of UL-DVT in 3 patients with SARS–CoV-2 who require continuous positive airway pressure with a hood and the need for early adequate antithrombotic prophylaxis.

Prevention and Treatment of Venous Thromboembolism Associated with Coronavirus Disease 2019 Infection: A Consensus Statement before Guidelines

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused a global pandemic in just a few months, causing millions infected. Nearly 20% of COVID-19 patients present severe coagulation abnormalities, which may occur in almost all of the severe and critical ill COVID-19 cases. Concomitant venous thromboembolism (VTE), a potential cause of unexplained deaths, has been frequently reported in COVID-19 cases, but its management is still challenging due to the complexity between antithrombotic therapy and coagulation disorders. Based on frontline practical experience and comprehensive literature review, here a panel of experts and physicians from China and Europe developed an evidence and opinion-based consensus on the prophylaxis and management of VTE associated with COVID-19. This statement aims for clinicians treating COVID-19 and provides practical recommendations in detailed situations, for example, how to choose thromboprophylactic measures for patients with diverse severity of disease and bleeding risk, or which kind of anticoagulant should be prescribed. With limited experience on COVID19-associated VTE, this expert consensus statement should be helpful for clinicians worldwide with specific suggestions.

Salvage use of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) in the setting of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) due to COVID-19 in the USA: a Markov decision analysis

Background

COVID-19 threatens to quickly overwhelm our existing critical care infrastructure in the USA. Systemic tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) has been previously demonstrated to improve PaO₂/FiO₂ (mmHg) when given to critically ill patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). It is unclear to what extent tPA may impact population-based survival during the current US COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

A decision analytic Markov state transition model was created to simulate the life critically ill COVID-19 patients as they transitioned to either recovery or death. Two patient groups were simulated (50,000 patients in each group); (1) Patients received tPA immediately upon diagnosis of ARDS and (2) patients received standard therapy for ARDS. Base case critically ill COVID-19 patients were defined as having a refractory PaO₂/FiO₂ of < 60 mmHg (salvage use criteria). Transition from severe to moderate to mild ARDS, recovery, and death were estimated. Markov model parameters were extracted from existing ARDS/COVID-19 literature.

Results

The use of tPA was associated with reduced mortality (47.6% [tTPA] vs. 71.0% [no tPA]) for base case patients. When extrapolated to the projected COVID-19 eligible for salvage use tPA in the USA, peak mortality (deaths/100,000 patients) was reduced for both optimal social distancing (70.5 [tPA] vs. 75.0 [no tPA]) and no social distancing (158.7 [tPA] vs. 168.8 [no tPA]) scenarios.

Conclusions

Salvage use of tPA may improve recovery of ARDS patients, thereby reducing COVID-19-related mortality and ensuring sufficient resources to manage this pandemic.

Pulmonary embolism in patients with COVID-19: Time to change the paradigm of computed tomography

OBJECTIVE

To raise awareness for possible benefits of examining known COVID-19 patients presenting sudden clinical worsening with CT pulmonary angiography instead of standard non-contrast chest CT.

PPIs and Beyond: A Framework for Managing Anticoagulation-Related Gastrointestinal Bleeding in the Era of COVID-19

Coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) can be associated with high morbidity and mortality; patients with severe clinical manifestations may develop significant coagulopathy as well as unexpected thromboembolic complications. In response, centers are increasingly treating selected patients with intermediate-dose prophylactic or even therapeutic dose anticoagulation in order to prevent potentially catastrophic thrombotic complications. With this changing practice, the authors suspect that inpatient gastrointestinal consult teams across the country will be frequently managing COVID-19 patients with gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB). In order to reduce potentially avoidable hospital readmissions for GIB while improving patient outcomes, it is imperative to appropriately risk-stratify patients prior to initiation of anticoagulation. In this review, we discuss how to appropriately identify high-risk patients for GIB and how to mitigate GIB risk with proton-pump inhibitor co-therapy, medication reconciliation, and Helicobacter pylori testing and treating in this complex and morbid population.

COVID-19 Associated Coagulopathy and Thrombotic Complications

The SARS-CoV-2 virus caused a global pandemic within weeks, causing hundreds of thousands of people infected. Many patients with severe COVID-19 present with coagulation abnormalities, including increase D-dimers and fibrinogen. This coagulopathy is associated with an increased risk of death. Furthermore, a substantial proportion of patients with severe COVID-19 develop sometimes unrecognized, venous, and arterial thromboembolic complications. A better understanding of COVID-19 pathophysiology, in particular hemostatic disorders, will help to choose appropriate treatment strategies. A rigorous thrombotic risk assessment and the implementation of a suitable anticoagulation strategy are required. We review here the characteristics of COVID-19 coagulation laboratory findings in affected patients, the incidence of thromboembolic events and their specificities, and potential therapeutic interventions.

COVID-19 and Hypercoagulability: A Review

Thrombotic complications of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) are a concerning aspect of the disease, due to the high incidence in critically ill patients and poor clinical outcomes. COVID-19 predisposes patients to a hypercoagulable state, however, the pathophysiology behind the thrombotic complications seen in this disease is not well understood. Several mechanisms have been proposed and the pathogenesis likely involves a host immune response contributing to vascular endothelial cell injury, inflammation, activation of the coagulation cascade via tissue factor expression, and shutdown of fibrinolysis. Treatments targeting these pathways may need to be considered to improve clinical outcomes and decrease overall mortality due to thrombotic complications. In this review, we will discuss the proposed pathophysiologic mechanisms for thrombotic complications in COVID-19, as well as treatment strategies for these complications based on the current literature available.

Characteristics of Acute Pulmonary Embolism in Patients With COVID-19 Associated Pneumonia From the City of Wuhan

The aim of this study was to describe clinical, imaging, and laboratory features of acute pulmonary embolism (APE) in patients with COVID-19 associated pneumonia. Patients with COVID-19 associated pneumonia who underwent a computed tomography pulmonary artery (CTPA) scan for suspected APE were retrospectively studied. Laboratory data and CTPA images were collected. Imaging characteristics were analyzed descriptively. Laboratory data were analyzed and compared between patients with and without APE. A series of 25 COVID-19 patients who underwent CTPA between January 2020 and February 2020 were enrolled. The median D-dimer level founded in these 25 patients was 6.06 μg/mL (interquartile range [IQR] 1.90-14.31 μg/mL). Ten (40%) patients with APE had a significantly higher level of D-dimer (median, 11.07 μg/mL; IQR, 7.12-21.66 vs median, 2.44 μg/mL; IQR, 1.68-8.34, respectively, P = .003), compared with the 15 (60%) patients without APE. No significant differences in other laboratory data were found between patients with and without APE. Among the 10 patients with APE, 6 (60%) had a bilateral pulmonary embolism, while 4 had a unilateral embolism. The thrombus-prone sites were the right lower lobe (70%), the left upper lobe (60%), both upper lobe (40%) and the right middle lobe (20%). The thrombus was partially or completely absorbed after anticoagulant therapy in 3 patients who underwent a follow-up CTPA. Patients with COVID-19 associated pneumonia have a risk of developing APE during the disease. When the D-dimer level abnormally increases in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia, CTPA should be performed to detect and assess the severity of APE.

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Thromboembolism among Patients With Coronavirus Disease-19: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Emerging evidence shows that the recent pandemic of coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) is characterized by coagulation activation and endothelial dysfunction. This increases the risk of morbidity, mortality and economic loss among COVID-19 patients. Therefore, there was an urgent need to investigate the extent and risk factors of thromboembolism among COVID-19 patients. English-language based databases (PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, EMBASE, and Cochrane library) were exhaustively searched to identify studies related to prevalence of thromboembolism among hospitalized COVID-19 patients. A random-effects model was employed to estimate the pooled prevalence of thromboembolism. The pooled prevalence of thrombotic events was computed using STATA 16.0 software. Heterogeneity analysis was reported using I2. A total of 19 studies with 2,520 patients with COVID-19 were included. The pooled prevalence of thrombotic events of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 was 33% (95% CI: 25-41%, I2 = 97.30%, p < 0.001) with a high degree of heterogeneity across studies. Elevated D-dimer hospitalized in the intensive care unit and being under mechanical ventilation were the most frequently associated factors for the development of thrombotic events. The pooled prevalence of thrombotic events in COVID-19 patients was 33%. The prevalence of thrombotic event is variables on the basis of study design and study centers. Several risk factors such as, elevated D-dimer, hospitalized in the intensive care unit and being under mechanical ventilation, were the most frequently reported risk factors identified. Therefore, healthcare professionals should consider these risk factors to optimally manage thromboembolism in COVID-19 patients.

Fisiopatología de la enfermedad cardiovascular en pacientes con COVID-19. Isquemia, trombosis y disfunción cardiaca

Las complicaciones cardiovasculares tienen una alta prevalencia en los pacientes con COVID-19 y son motivo frecuente de hospitalización, mortalidad y secuelas. En está revisión se describen los principales mecanismos fisiopatológicos implicados en la aparición de estas complicaciones. Tras la viremia inicial, se produce una infiltración y reproducción en los pulmónes, con activación del sistema inmunitario, liberación de citocinas y generación de un estado proinflamatorio con sepsis y fallo multiorgánico. El daño miocárdico puede deberse a una afección viral directa con respuesta inflamatoria local, o indirectamente a una inflamación sistémica inapropiada con marcada liberación de citocinas. Además, se genera un estado protrombótico que, junto con la afección viral vascular, pueden desencadenar eventos trombóticos e isquémicos secundarios a daño microvascular o inestabilización de placas de ateroma previas. Son necesarios nuevos estudios para esclarecer la fisiopatología tras estos eventos cardiovasculares y contribuir al desarrollo de nuevos tratamientos efectivos.

No Time to Waste: Real-World Repurposing of Generic Drugs as a Multifaceted Strategy Against COVID-19

Real-world drug repurposing-the immediate "off-label" prescribing of drugs to address urgent clinical needs-is an indispensable strategy gaining rapid traction in the current COVID-19 crisis. Although off-label prescribing (ie, for a nonapproved indication) is legal in most countries, it tends to shift the burden of liability and cost to physicians and patients, respectively. Nevertheless, in urgent public health crises, it is often the only realistic source of a meaningful potential solution. To be considered for real-world repurposing, drug candidates should ideally have a track record of safety, affordability, and wide accessibility. Although thousands of such drugs are already available, the absence of a central repository of off-label uses presents a barrier to the immediate identification and selection of the safest, potentially useful interventions. Using the current COVID-19 pandemic as an example, we provide a glimpse at the extensive literature that supports the rationale behind six generic drugs, in four classes, all of which are affordable, supported by decades of safety data, and pleiotropically target the underlying pathophysiology that makes COVID-19 so dangerous. Having previously fast-tracked this paper to publication in summary form, we now expand on why cimetidine/famotidine (histamine type-2 receptor antagonists), dipyridamole (antiplatelet agent), fenofibrate/bezafibrate (cholesterol/triglyceride-lowering agents), and sildenafil (phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor) are worth considering for patients with COVID-19 based on their antiviral, anti-inflammatory, renoprotective, cardioprotective, and anticoagulation properties. These examples also reveal the unlimited opportunity to future-proof public health by proactively mining, synthesizing, and cataloging the off-label treatment opportunities of thousands of safe, well-established, and affordable generic drugs.