Severe immune thrombocytopenic purpura in critical COVID-19: a case report

Abstract

Abstract Purpose: COVID-19 is a new disease with many undescribed clinical manifestations. Material and methods: We report herein a case of severe immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) in a critical COVID-19 patient.Results: A patient presented a severe episode of immune thrombocytopenia (< 10 x 109/L) 20 days after admission for a critical COVID-19. This thrombocytopenia was associated with a life-threatening bleeding. Response to first-line therapies was delayed as it took up to 13 days after initiation of intravenous immunoglobulin and high dose dexamethasone to observe an increase in platelet count. Conclusion: COVID-19 may be associated with late presenting severe ITP. Such ITP may also be relatively resistant to first-line agents. Hematological manifestations of COVID-19, such as the ones associated with life-threatening bleeding, must be recognized.