Rheological status (erythrocyte aggregation index, erythrocyte deformation index, plasma viscosity) in the Covid-19 patients with “Covid toes” and in patients with Raynaud’s phenomenon

ABSTRACT

One of complications of Covid-19 infection is the so-called “Covid toes”. This is disease with nonstudied pathophysiological mechanisms, which in some ways is like Raynaud’s phenomenon. Our goal was to research the rheological differences and similarities between these diagnoses. We studied rheological status in a group of patients with the so-called “Covid toes” and a group with Reynaud’s phenomenon as well as in a control group healthy individual. We measured simultaneously the erythrocyte aggregation index, the erythrocyte deformation index and the blood plasma viscosity. The methods for indices measurement were composed by our research group (Rheology and Diagnostic Analytical Services Laboratory in Ivane Beritashvili Center of Experimental Biomedicine). Based on our data, we can evaluate rheological changes observed in both groups examined. In the patients with Reynaud’s phenomenon, rheological changes were not associated with an increase in the erythrocyte aggregation index. Significantly elevated levels of the erythrocyte aggregation index have been obtained only in the group of COVID-19 patients with Covid toes. Our studies presented new scientific focus and research area, able to “transport” our experimental and analytical conclusions to the field of routine clinical practice-for successful management and treatment of “Covid toes” as one of complications of COVID-19. © 2022, Bulgarska Akademiya na Naukite. All rights reserved.