Delayed Pulmonary Embolism after Mild COVID-19: A Case Report

ABSTRACT

COVID-19 coagulopathy has gained attention due to the strikingly high prevalence of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE). We describe here a case of bilateral PE preceded by mild COVID-19 contracted 4.5 months earlier in a male patient who presented to the outpatient clinic with exertional dyspnea. The patient had developed PE 9 years earlier, when no underlying genetic factor was detected. In the 4.5 months after contracting mild COVID-19, he presented four times with exertional dyspnea and a thorax computer tomography angiography (CTA) on two occasions and one perfusion scintigraphy revealed no embolism. Based on his high D-dimer values, his symptoms and his history of PE, he was placed on prolonged PE prophylaxis, which was stopped 33 days ago, and at that time, CTA revealed extensive bilateral PE. In conclusion, an unusually longer activation in COVID-19 coagulopathy may co-exist in patients with a history of previous PE, ongoing symptoms and increased D-dimer levels, irrespective of the COVID-19 severity.