A Covid-19 Patient with Complement-Mediated Coagulopathy and Severe Thrombosis

Abstract

We report a patient with severe Covid-19-associated coagulopathy and type 2 diabetes mellitus who tested positive for antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL). Analysis of skin specimens suggested direct SARS-CoV-2 viral-induced and complement-mediated vascular injury and thrombosis, consistent with prior reports. Serial aPL testing demonstrated high levels of anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL) that declined to insignificant levels over a period of 5 weeks. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in nasopharyngeal swab specimens on serial assays performed over the same 5-week period, though it was not detected thereafter. We hypothesize that SARS-CoV-2 viral-induced aPL contributed to severe Covid-19-associated coagulopathy in this patient.