COVID-19-associated myocardial injury: A case report.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is often accompanied by pneumonia and can be fatal. We report a case of COVID-19-associated myocardial injury mimicking fulminant myocarditis. Endomyocardial biopsy revealed numerous von Willebrand factor-rich microthrombi with small myocardial necrotic areas, complement deposits in small vessels/microthrombi, and macrophage-predominant interstitial infiltration. These findings, distinct from those of typical lymphocytic myocarditis, show diffuse endothelial injury, complement activation, and activated macrophages as characteristic features of COVID-19-associated pathogenesis. Dysregulated serum cytokine profiles predicting severe/critical COVID-19-associated myocardial injury were also determined. This case emphasizes the occurrence of fatal cardiac manifestation with microthrombotic injury in the early stage of COVID-19.

Hereditary thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura and COVID-19: Impacts of vaccination and infection in this rare disease.

Introduction: Severe COVID-19 is associated with an important increase of von Willebrand factor and mild lowering of ADAMTS13 activity that may, in the presence of a strong inflammatory reaction, increase the risk of acute thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP). Although acute episodes of immune-mediated TTP associated with COVID-19 or SARS-CoV-2 vaccination have been reported, data about clinical evolution of hereditary TTP (hTTP) during the pandemic are scarce. Method: We conducted a survey among adult patients of the International Hereditary TTP Registry about SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, COVID-19, and occurrence of acute hTTP episodes. Results: Of 122 adult hTTP patients invited to participate, 86 (70.5%) responded. Sixty-five had been vaccinated (75.6%), of which 14 had received in addition a booster, resulting in 139 individual vaccine shots. Although vaccinations in patients on plasma prophylaxis were done within 1 week of the last plasma infusion, all 23 patients treated with plasma on demand were vaccinated without prior plasma infusions. One patient on uninterrupted weekly plasma infusions presented within 3 days from his second vaccination with neurological symptoms and computed tomography scan 9 days later showed subacute ischemic/hemorrhagic frontal lobe infarction. A second male patient developed acute myocarditis after his second dose of mRNA-1273 vaccine. Twelve (14%) patients had COVID-19, associated with an acute hTTP episode in three of them: one patient had a transient ischemic attack, one a stroke, and a pregnant woman was hospitalized to intensify plasma treatment. Discussion: The risk of an acute episode triggered by COVID-19 seems higher than following vaccination in hTTP patients, who can be safely vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2.

Acquired Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura Following BNT162b2 mRNA Coronavirus Disease Vaccination in a Japanese Patient.

A 57-year-old man without underlying diseases presented with fatigue, loss of appetite, and jaundice 1 week after receiving the first dose of the BNT162b2 mRNA coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine and showed hemolytic anemia with fragmented erythrocytes and severe thrombocytopenia 2 weeks after receiving the vaccine. An a disintegrin-like and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin type 1 motifs 13 (ADAMTS13) activity level of <10% and ADAMTS13 inhibitor positivity confirmed the diagnosis of acquired thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP). Combination therapy with plasma exchange, corticosteroid, and rituximab improved the clinical outcome. We herein report the first Japanese case of TTP possibly associated with vaccination. Physicians should be alert for this rare but life-threatening hematological complication following COVID-19 vaccination.

Management of a COVID-19 Patient during ECMO: Paying Attention to Acquired von Willebrand Syndrome.

Patients with severe COVID-19 often experience complications including coagulopathy and fatal thrombosis. COVID-19 pneumonia sometimes leads to acute respiratory distress syndrome, requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), during which thrombosis and bleeding are major causes of death. Anticoagulation such as heparin is essential for COVID-19 patients on ECMO; however, bleeding might be caused by not only heparin, but also acquired von Willebrand syndrome (AVWS). To date, no study has examined ECMO-related bleeding and AVWS in COVID-19 patients.We report a COVID-19 patient who experienced bleeding from AVWS in addition to disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) during ECMO. The level of high-molecular weight VWF multimers decreased during ECMO therapy, and these findings promptly improved after discontinuation of ECMO. Plasma levels of VWF antigen were extremely high, probably due to endothelial cell damage caused by COVID-19. On the other hand, plasma levels of ADAMTS13 activity were moderately reduced, to 20-30% of normal. The patient was successfully treated with cryoprecipitate in bleeding during ECMO without a reduction in heparin, which might have induced thromboembolism. Bleeding found in this patient might be caused by AVWS and DIC.Severe COVID-19 patients are in a thrombotic state and need to receive anticoagulant therapy. However, once they receive ECMO therapy, bleeding symptoms could be observed. In such cases, physicians should think of AVWS in addition to the side effect of heparin and DIC.