A Rare Presentation of COVID-19 with Pulmonary Embolism

Area of Science:

• Pulmonology
• Infectious Diseases
• Hematology

Background:

• Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by SARS-CoV-2, can lead to severe complications like hypoxia, hyperinflammation, and coagulopathy.
• Coagulopathy in COVID-19 is linked to thrombotic events, such as pulmonary embolism, but underlying mechanisms require further investigation.
• The overlapping initial symptoms of COVID-19 and other conditions necessitate physician awareness for accurate diagnosis.

Observation:

• A case is presented of a patient with COVID-19 infection.
• The patient exhibited pulmonary embolism and pleural effusions.
• Notably, the patient did not present with characteristic ground-glass opacities in the lungs.

Findings:

• The case demonstrates a presentation of pulmonary embolism and pleural effusions in conjunction with COVID-19.
• This occurred in the absence of typical lung findings like ground-glass opacities.
• It suggests that COVID-19 can manifest with thrombotic and effusive complications even without clear radiographic signs of pneumonia.

Implications:

• This case broadens the understanding of potential COVID-19 complications beyond typical respiratory symptoms.
• It emphasizes the importance of considering thrombotic events and effusions in COVID-19 patients, irrespective of lung imaging findings.
• Physicians should maintain a high index of suspicion for these complications and consider concurrent diagnoses in patients presenting with similar symptoms.