The incidence of venous thromboembolism among hospitalized COVID-19 positive patients: A multicenter study

Abstract

Background Coagulation disorders are frequently encountered among coronavirus disease 2019 [COVID-19]-infected patients, especially among those with more severe symptoms. This study aims to determine the incidence and risk factors of venous thromboembolism [VTE] in COVID-19 patients. Methods The retrospective observational Cohort study was conducted from March to July 2020. All adult patients [> 18 years old] with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 were included. Laboratory data and real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction [rRT-PCR] for SARS-CoV-2 were obtained from medical records and correlated with those who developed VTE. Results In this study, 1024 patients were identified with confirmed COVID-19, of which 58 patients [5.7%] had VTE. In the bivariate analysis, VTE was associated with chronic kidney disease, hematological disorder, cancer, and high D-dimer > 0.50 mg/l. The analysis of the data showed that the number of patients diagnosed with cancer was significantly higher in the VTE group [8 patients, 13.8%] than the non-VTE group [47 patients, 4.9%; p = 0.003]. Patients with cancer were 2 times more likely to have VTE [adjusted odds ratio [1] = 2.614; 95% CI=[1.048–6.519]; p = 0.039]. The sensitivity analyses showed that individuals with high D-dimer > 0.50 mg/l were more likely to have VTE. Conclusion VTE is more prevalent among individuals with chronic conditions, including cancer. Healthcare professionals should closely monitor individuals with high risk of developing VTE, including those with COVID-19 and chronic conditions, to prevent unwanted complications.