ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Other entities besides deep vein thrombosis (DVT) affecting the venous system, such as superficial vein phlebitis (SVP) and superficial vein thrombophlebitis (SVT), receive poor attention in the literature. However, both entities may propagate proximally into the deep venous system and progress to a DVT. To our knowledge, the relevance of other venous findings such as SVP or SVT in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients has not been evaluated. This work aimed to assess the clinical, biochemical, and hematological variables associated with the incidence of acute venous diseases, such as DVT, SVP, and SVT, in a cohort of 74 critically ill COVID-19 patients and their association with mortality. METHODS: Given the high thrombotic risk, all patients underwent venous imaging with bedside ultrasound. Clinical variables were obtained from medical records. Comparisons were made by the chi-square test or Fisher's exact test. We constructed Kaplan-Meier curves and used Cox proportional hazard models to calculate hazard ratios for dichotomized risk factors to identify predictors of mortality. SPSS version 21.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY) was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: SVP occurred in 28 patients (37.8%), DVT in 22 patients (29.7%), and 28 patients died (37.8%). Elevated D-dimer was associated with DVT but not with SVP. Neither SVP nor DVT was associated with mortality. After adjusting for age, elevated troponins (OR: 2.4, 95% CI: 1.1-5.4), platelets < 244 cell/mm3 (2.4, 1.1-5.6), and IMPROVE (International Medical Prevention Registry on Venous Thromboembolism) bleeding score > 7 (2.8, 1.3-6.3) were predictors of mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Acute venous findings such as SVP and DVT are highly prevalent and independent of mortality in critically ill COVID-19 patients. These entities are not related, although they may occur synchronically. DVT is frequently presented as an asymptomatic distal bilateral finding associated with elevated D-dimer, decreased ferritin, and higher vasoactive drug use but independent from chronic venous disease. Interestingly, elevated troponins, decreased platelets, and a prognostic value > 7 of the IMPROVE bleeding score were predictors of mortality in this group of critically ill COVID-19 patients.
ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic poses a challenge to the management of non-COVID pathologies such as lymphatic diseases and lipoedema. The use of telemedicine can prevent the spread of the disease. A system is needed to help determine the clinical priority and selection of face-to-face or telemedicine options for each patient and how to carry them out during the pandemic. The Spanish Lymphology Group has drafted a consensus document with recommendations based on the literature and clinical experience, as clinical practice guidelines for the management of lymphatic abnormalities and lipoedema during the COVID-19 pandemic. These recommendations must be adapted to the characteristics of each patient, the local conditions of the centres, and the decisions of health care professionals. The document contains minimum criteria, subject to modifications according to the evolution of the pandemic, scientific knowledge and instructions from health authorities.