Persistence of procoagulable thromboelastography results in hospitalized COVID-19 patients despite clinical improvement

S.M. Stuart, C.D. Treager, T.R. Lopachin, P.I. Moss, E.E. Friedrich

Department of Emergency Medicine, Transitional Year Internship Program, Naval Medical Readiness Training Command, Portsmouth, VA, USA. Emily.Friedrich@gdit.com

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• Infectious Diseases
• Laboratory Medicine

OBJECTIVE: COVID-19 patients have been shown to be hypercoagulable, increasing the risk for thromboembolic events. The kinetics of the blood coagulation process were monitored daily throughout hospitalization in COVID-19 positive patients.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thromboelastography (TEG) was used to assess blood coagulation in 48 adult patients hospitalized for COVID-19 in this prospective cohort study. Clinical risk was assessed via National Early Warning Scores (NEWS) for each day of hospitalization.

RESULTS: During hospitalization, 98% of patients had one or more procoagulable TEG result. Thromboelastography results remained prothrombotic upon discharge in 80% of patients. NEWS significantly decreased by discharge compared to the peak scores.

CONCLUSIONS: Overall, patients were discharged from the hospital with significant clinical improvement, but without abnormal TEG results returning to a normal range. All patients in our study survived and few had thromboembolic events, so if and for how long these patients remain at risk for future complications warrants further investigation.

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