Abstract
The novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) is clinically characterized by severe acute
respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which is responsible for a high number
of patients needing mechanical ventilation or intensive care units treatment and for
the elevated mortality risk. A link between COVID-19 and multiorgan failure may be
dependent on the fact that most COVID-19 patients are complicated by pneumonia, which
is known to be associated with early changes of clotting and platelet activation and
artery dysfunction; these changes may implicate in thrombotic-related events such
as myocardial infarction and ischemic stroke. Recent data showed that myocardial injury
compatible with coronary ischemia may be detectable in SARS-CoV-2 patients and laboratory
data exploring clotting system suggest the presence of a hypercoagulation state. Thus,
we performed a systematic review of COVID-19 literature reporting measures of clotting
activation to assess if changes are detectable in this setting and their relationship
with clinical severity. Furthermore, we discussed the biologic plausibility of the
thrombotic risk in SARS-CoV-2 and the potential use of an antithrombotic treatment.
Keywords
thrombosis - hypercoagulability - infectious diseases