Heparin therapy improving hypoxia in COVID-19 patients - a case series [preprint]

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Elevated D-dimer is predictor of severity and mortality in COVID-19 patients and heparin use during in hospital stay has been associated to decreased mortality. COVID-19 patient autopsies have revealed thrombi in the microvasculature, suggesting intravascular coagulation as a prominent feature of organ failure in these patients. Interestingly, in COVID19, pulmonary compliance is preserved despite severe hypoxemia corroborating the hypothesis that perfusion mismatch may play a significant role in the development of respiratory failure. METHODS: We describe a series of 27 consecutive COVID-19 patients admitted to the Pulmonology service at Sirio-Libanes Hospital in São Paulo-Brazil treated with heparin in therapeutic doses tailored to clinical severity. RESULTS: PaO2/FiO2 ratio increased significantly over the 72 hours following the start of anticoagulation, from 254(±90) to 325(±80), p=0.013, and over half of the patients were discharged home within an average time of 7.3 (±4.0) days. Half of mechanically ventilated patients were extubated within 10.3 (±1.5) days. The remaining patients showed progressive improvement and there were no bleeding complications or fatal events. DISCUSSION: Even though this uncontrolled case series does not offer absolute proof of DIC as the underlying mechanism of respiratory failure in COVID-19, as well as patients positive response to tailored dose heparinization, it contributes to the understanding of the physiopathological mechanism of the disease and provides valuable information for the treatment of these very sick patients while we await the results of further prospective controlled studies