Pan-Pseudothrombocytopenia in COVID-19: A Harbinger for Lethal Arterial Thrombosis?
Pseudothrombocytopenia in the setting of COVID-19-associated coagulopathy prompts the question whether it is representative of increased platelet aggregation activity in vivo.
Federal Practitioner. 2020 August;37(8)a:354-358 | 10.12788/fp.0032
August 13, 2020|Federal Practitioner
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Conclusions
This patient’s case highlights the presence of pan-pseudothrombocytopenia despite the use of a sodium citrate and heparin containing tube in a COVID-19 infection with multiorgan dysfunction. This developed 1 week prior to the patient suffering a STEMI despite therapeutic anticoagulation. Although the exact nature of CAC remains to be worked out, it is possible that platelet agglutination/clumping seen on the peripheral blood smear is representative of in vivo activity and serves as a harbinger for worsening thrombosis. The frequency of such phenomenon and efficacy of further interventions has yet to be explored.
