Pilot study to evaluate hypercoagulation and inflammation using rotational thromboelastometry and calprotectin in...

Area of Science:

• Coagulation and Thrombosis
• Infectious Diseases
• Critical Care Medicine

Background:

• Abnormal coagulation and inflammation are key features of COVID-19.
• Early identification of patients at risk for severe disease is crucial.
• Rotational Thromboelastometry (ROTEM) assesses coagulation, while calprotectin measures inflammation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate ROTEM's ability to detect hypercoagulability in COVID-19 patients upon admission.
• To assess if ROTEM can predict disease severity early on.
• To determine if calprotectin levels correlate with ROTEM findings and disease severity.

Main Methods:

• COVID-19 patients were monitored daily for 7 days post-admission.
• Rotational Thromboelastometry (ROTEM) was performed daily.
• Calprotectin, an inflammatory marker, was also measured daily.

Main Results:

• ROTEM indicated a hypercoagulable state in COVID-19 patients at admission.
• ROTEM did not differentiate between ward and Intensive Treatment Unit (ITU) admissions.
• Calprotectin levels were elevated, with no significant difference between ward and ITU groups.
• Significant correlations were found between specific ROTEM parameters (FIBA5, FIBCFT, FIBMCF, INMCF) and calprotectin levels.

Conclusions:

• COVID-19 patients present with hypercoagulability upon hospital admission.
• The observed correlations between ROTEM and calprotectin underscore the link between inflammation and coagulation in COVID-19.