• Roberto Pizzi, Giancarlo Gini, Lucia Caiano, Beniamino Castelli, Noga Dotan, Federica Magni, Alexandra Virano, Andrea Roveda, Lorenza Bertù, and Walter Ageno.
• Department of Emergency Medicine, Ospedale di Circolo, University of Insubria, Varese, Italy; Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Insubria, Varese, Italy.
• Thromb. Res. 2020 Dec 1; 196: 209-212.

BackgroundIn the recent outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, increased D-dimer levels and high rates of venous thromboembolic events were reported. We aimed to compare coagulation parameters on admission between COVID-19 patients and non-COVID-19 patients with acute respiratory insufficiency and to describe VTE diagnosed at entry.MethodsIn this single-centre, observational retrospective study consecutive patients admitted for fever and acute respiratory failure were included. Patients underwent laboratory tests, arterial blood gas, chest X-ray, point of care ultrasound (POCUS), limited compression ultrasonography of the lower limbs (L-CUS), chest CT-scan if necessary, and swab test for COVID-19.ResultsOf 324 patients, 50% had COVID-19. COVID19 patients had significantly lower mean white blood cells, neutrophils, platelet count, and pCT values, and significantly higher CRP, LDH, and ferritin levels than non-COVID19 patients. D-dimer was increased in 86.5% COVID19 patients and in 84.9% non-COVID19 patients; mean values were similar (2185 ng/mL and 2814 ng/mL, respectively, p = n.s.). After multivariate analysis, results were unchanged (Odds Ratio 1.00 95%CI: 0.99-1.00, p = 0.21). PT and aPTT values were also similar between the two groups, fibrinogen levels were higher in COVID19 than in non-COVID19 patients (684 and 496 mg/dL, respectively, p < 0.0001). Five patients had asymptomatic proximal deep vein thrombosis detected by L-CUS (3 COVID19) and 2 patients had symptomatic pulmonary embolism (both non-COVID19).ConclusionsD-dimer levels were similarly increased in patients with and without SARS-CoV 2 related disease. There were few cases of asymptomatic deep vein thrombosis or symptomatic pulmonary embolism at first day of admission, similarly distributed between COVID19 patients and non-COVID19 patients.Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

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