COVID-19 Hematologic Complications
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief:
Overview
Complications
Lymphopenia
Neutrophilia
Thrombocytopenia
There is an association between severe COVID-19 infection and thrombocytopenia. (lippi) Thrombocytopenia is seen in 57.7% of patients with severe COVID-19 infection compared to 31.6 % of patients with non-severe infection. (GUAN)
The pathogenesis of thrombocytopenia in COVID-19 infection is due to several factors: (XU et al)
- Decrease in primary platelet production due to:
- Infection of bone marrow cells by coronaviruses(12-yang) and inhibition of bone marrow growth, (14 yeager) which lead to abnormal hematopoietic function
- Cytokine storm caused by COVID-19 infection results in the destruction of bone marrow progenitor cells (XU)
- Increase in platelet destruction due to increase in autoantibodies and immune complexes (18-nardi/XU)
- Decrease in circulating platelet due to lung injury which causes
- Activation of platelets that result in platelet aggregation and formation of microthrombus which lead to increase in platelet consumption XU)
- Decrease in pulmonary capillary bed and megakaryocyte fragmentation result in decrease in platelet production(17lefransias, XU)