Digital Ischemia as an Initial Presentation in a COVID-19-Positive Patient Without Any Significant Respiratory

Trishna Acherjee1, Barbara Bastien1, Miguel A Rodriguez-Guerra1

  • 1Internal Medicine, BronxCare Health System, Bronx, USA.

Cureus
|April 26, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can cause blood clots, leading to limb ischemia. This report details a COVID-19 case presenting with thumb ischemia, even without severe respiratory symptoms.

Area of Science:

  • Vascular Medicine
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) presents with diverse symptoms, including pneumonia, ARDS, and multiorgan failure.
  • Coagulopathy, such as pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis, is a known complication of COVID-19.
  • Limb ischemia has been reported in critically ill COVID-19 patients.

Observation:

  • A case of COVID-19 is presented involving a patient with right thumb ischemia.
  • The patient exhibited no significant respiratory symptoms.

Findings:

  • COVID-19 can manifest with limb ischemia, specifically thumb ischemia in this case.
  • Ischemia occurred in a patient without severe respiratory distress.

Implications:

  • This case highlights that COVID-19-associated coagulopathy and ischemia can occur even in non-critically ill patients.
  • Early recognition of vascular complications in COVID-19 is crucial for timely intervention.
  • Further research is needed to understand the mechanisms and management of COVID-19-related vascular events.

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