Retracted: Oral Presentation No. 034 A Case Series of patients with Pulmonary Embolism during post COVID-19 period

Abstract

Background Over the past two years, Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) and associated complications, including hypercoagulopathy, is a routine in our hospitals. We already know, that hospitalized critical ill patients with COVID-19 pneumonia, have an increased risk for Pulmonary Embolism (PE). However, only limited data refer to the potential risk in post-COVID-19 patients, and fewer, in patients who had mild disease. We define as mild COVID -19, cases that either didn't need hospitalization or they were hospitalized without respiratory complications. The incidence of PE in post-COVID-19 patients who had only mild symptoms remains unknown. Material and methods We are presenting a case series of five patients with mild COVID-19 infection, from our hospital, who presented with PE during the post COVID-19 infectious period. All of the patients presented mild symptoms during the infectious period. One among them needed a short duration of hospitalization for the COVID-19 infection and another one needed hospitalization due to an established stroke. Results and conclusions Our cases advocate that even mild COVID-19 could be considered a potential risk factor for PE, after the infectious period. According to our case series, the mean susceptible period in which post-COVID-19 patients may present PE is 21,6 days. However, the time frame in which these patients are more vulnerable to developing PE is not yet known. Nevertheless, the fact that PE occurs even in past mild disease, reinforces the idea that COVID-19 is an independent and cumulative risk factor predisposing to PE.