Thrombocytopenia is independently associated with poor outcome in patients hospitalized for COVID‐19

Abstract

Thrombocytopenia is independently associated with poor outcome in patients hospitalized for COVID-19 Thrombocytopenia (defined by platelet count <150 9 10 9 / l) has been observed in up to 36% of patients with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus responsible for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). 1 In this setting, thrombocytopenia is usually mild, caused by platelet activation and consumption. 2,3 In a recent paper published in the British Journal of Haematology, Jiang et al 4 conducted a meta-analysis of 31 studies involving 7613 participants and found a significant association between thrombocytopenia and patients hospitalized Correspondence e276

Haematological manifestations of COVID‐19: From cytopenia to coagulopathy

“…In a case series of patients admitted to an intensive care unit in Wuhan, a platelet count of <100 × 10 9 /L was observed in only 5% of patients 14 . Similar findings were reported in a French cohort study with mild thrombocytopenia identified in about a quarter of COVID‐19 patients on admission to hospital and this was independently predictive of the risk of admission to ICU, mechanical ventilation or death 19 . Furthermore, data from multiple studies suggest that anaemia is not a prominent feature of COVID‐19 even in severe cases 11,13,14 .…”

Increased number of pulmonary megakaryocytes in COVID-19 patients with diffuse alveolar damage: an autopsy study with clinical correlation and review of the literature

“…Although no specific pulmonary pathologic findings have been observed, thrombosis of major vessels and microcirculation are often highlighted. It is well-known that COVID-19 patients often show prothrombotic coagulation abnormalities [37][38][39], being thrombocytopenia associated with a poor clinical outcome [40]. In this autopsy study, we report that pulmonary MKs are a common finding in COVID-19 patients with pulmonary damage.…”

Blood cell counts and lymphocyte subsets of patients admitted during the COVID‐19 pandemic: a prospective cohort study

“…In agreement with recent reports, thrombocyte counts were lower in patients with COVID-19, and thrombocytopenia was associated with an increased risk of in-hospital mortality. 6,7 Lymphopenia, previously presented as a hallmark of COVID-19, 1,8,9 is a common feature of critical illness in general. 10 Indeed, in our present cohort, neither the median lymphocyte counts nor the prevalence of lymphopenia (<1Á0 9 10 9 /l) were different between the patients with COVID-19 and the controls.…”