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COVID-19 Infection and High Intracoronary Thrombus Burden
Ali Kirresh1, Gerry Coghlan1, Luciano Candilio1
1Cardiology Department, Royal Free Hospital, London, United Kingdom.
Insights
This study reports the first case of COVID-19 associated with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), highlighting a high thrombus burden. Understanding this link is crucial for managing severe coronavirus disease patients.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Thrombosis
Background:
- Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) is a global pandemic with emerging evidence linking it to a pro-thrombotic state.
- ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is a severe form of heart attack.
Observation:
- The first reported patient with COVID-19 presented with an inferior STEMI.
- This patient exhibited a significant intracoronary thrombus burden.
Findings:
- The high thrombus burden in COVID-19 associated STEMI may be linked to cytokine storm, endothelial dysfunction, plaque rupture, and hypercoagulability.
- This case underscores a potential mechanism for acute cardiovascular events in COVID-19 patients.
Implications:
- Further research is needed to elucidate the pro-thrombotic mechanisms in COVID-19.
- Clinical management strategies for COVID-19 patients may need to consider thrombotic risk stratification and anticoagulation.
- This finding has implications for understanding and treating cardiovascular complications during pandemics.
Abstract:
Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) is an acute respiratory disease that has rapidly spread around the world and been declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization. Emerging evidence demonstrates a strong association with a pro-thrombotic state and we present the first patient admitted with COVID-19 and an inferior ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) with evidence of high intracoronary thrombus burden. We review the mechanism of the high thrombus burden, which may be driven by the significant cytokine storm, endothelial dysfunction, increase risk of coronary plaque rupture and hypercoagulability.
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