Incidence of thrombotic complications in hospitalised and non-hospitalised patients after COVID-19 diagnosis

Br J Haematol. 2021 Aug;194(3):542-546. doi: 10.1111/bjh.17522. Epub 2021 May 24.

Abstract

Infection with coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) may predispose for venous thromboembolism (VTE). There is wide variation in reported incidence rates of VTE in COVID-19, ranging from 3% to 85%. Therefore, the true incidence of thrombotic complications in COVID-19 is uncertain. Here we present data on the incidence of VTE in both hospitalised and non-hospitalised patients from two ongoing prospective cohort studies. The incidence of VTE after diagnosis of COVID-19 was 3·9% [95% confidence interval (CI): 2·1-7·2] during hospitalisation, 0·9% (95% CI: 0·2-3·1) in the three months after discharge and 0·2% (95% CI: 0·00-1·25) in non-hospitalised patients, suggesting an incidence rate at the lower end of that in previous reports.

Keywords: anticoagulation; coronavirus disease-2019; epidemiology; incidence; venous thromboembolism.

Publication types

  • Multicenter Study

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Anticoagulants / therapeutic use
  • COVID-19 / complications*
  • COVID-19 / diagnosis
  • Female
  • Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight / therapeutic use
  • Hospitalization
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Prospective Studies
  • Risk Factors
  • SARS-CoV-2 / isolation & purification
  • Thrombosis / drug therapy
  • Thrombosis / etiology
  • Venous Thromboembolism / drug therapy
  • Venous Thromboembolism / etiology*

Substances

  • Anticoagulants
  • Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight