REVIEW   Open access

Italian Journal of Emergency Medicine 2022 April;11(1):5-9

DOI: 10.23736/S2532-1285.22.00134-3

Copyright © 2022 THE AUTHORS

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language: English

Thrombotic aspects of SARS-CoV-2 infection: indications for treatment

Luigi PETRAMALA ^{1, 2} ✉, Antonello ROSA ², Adriana SERVELLO ², Daniele PASTORI ², Luca MARINO ² Sapienza MEU Group 

¹ Department of Translational and Precision Medicine, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy; ² Department of Emergency Area, Umberto I Polyclinic Hospital, Rome, Italy

Several studies highlighted the importance of thrombotic complications during early phases of acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) as well as long-term complications, until responsible for the high mortality observed in SARS-CoV-2 infection. The relationship “increased thrombotic risk and COVID-19 infection” justified further researchers, especially those undergoing hospitalization for severe COVID-19 infection, presented thrombotic complications during follow-up, after hospital discharge and apparent healing. It was highlighted that SARS-CoV-2 infection mainly affects the upper airways, the access of the virus in the humans, while the complications are systemic, secondary to extensive endothelial damage, with consequent systemic activation of the immune system and of pro-thrombotic system. Recent data confirm that prophylactic antithrombotic treatment is useful in hospitalized patients, and in selected cases it is useful at high therapeutic dose.

KEY WORDS: SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19; Thrombosis; Endothelium