VPB0134 - Blood coagulation parameters in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 – data from Regional Center for transfusion medicine Shtip

Background: Infection with COVID-19 results in systemic inflammatory response and imbalance between homeostatic mechanisms of procoagulant and anticoagulant. Around 40% of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 are at a high risk of development of venous thromboembolism. The coagulation tests can actually give us an indication of the severity of disease in any particular patient. Monitoring them is important as it can help shape care and determine the direction the patient is going.

Aims: The aim of our study was to analyze the characteristic of coagulation function of patients with COVID‐19, as important predictors of mortality.

Methods: We studied 726 hospitalized patients with confirmed COVID-19 admitted to the Clinical Hospital Shtip, from January - December 2021. Blood coagulation parameters included the measure of the PT,aPTT, INR, platelet count, fibrinogen and D-dimer.Coagulation profile was done on CA-600 (Sysmex), and the total platelet count was measured with Medonic-M51.

Results: There were 510 abnormalities (70,2%) of coagulation parameters in 726 patients admitted to hospital. 48,9% were men, and 19,8% were healthcare workers. The median age was 62 years. 3,4% (17 patients), had a prolonged prothrombin time, >16 sec. 10,3% had a platelet count < 100 ×109/L and 3 patients (0,07%) had a platelet count < 50 ×109/L during their hospital course.Fibrinogen is generally normal or elevated(> 5g/l) in critical patients. D‐dimer levels were 69,4% of patients above the normal range (0 – 500 ng/ mL), average 1900 ng/ mL.

Conclusion(s): Coagulation abnormalities (including increased D-dimer, elevated fibrinogen, and increasing prothrombin time) are typical findings in patients with COVID-19 and are associated with poorer prognoses and survival. We found this analysis helpful not only to monitor for severity of disease, but also to potentially screen patients for VTE.We suggests that testing coagulation parameters may allow physicians to identify and treat patients with COVID-19 more effectively to prevent complications .