Venous Thromboembolism and COVID-19

November 30, 2021

Studies from the COVID-19 pandemic have shown an increased risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients infected with SARS-CoV-2, including both pulmonary embolism and deep venous thrombosis. However, the risk of VTE and its prevalence in outpatients with COVID-19 has been less studied than in hospitalized patients.

A recent study of 8,700 patients, “Risk of Venous Thromboembolism in a Swedish Healthcare System during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Retrospective Cross-sectional Study,” provides insight on how this might affect workup of potential VTE in patients positive for SARS-CoV-2.

Which of the following is NOT a main finding or conclusion from the study?

A) Among all comers, infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus correlated with an increased risk of VTE in patients undergoing VTE testing even after adjustment for common risk factors such as prior VTE and malignancy

B) Patients with COVID-19 hospitalized in the ICU for at least 24 hours had an increased prevalence of VTE compared to those without COVID-19.

C) The overall prevalence of VTE in this study did not change from 2015–2019 compared to 2020.

D) Current infection with SARS-CoV-2 alone should not influence the workup of patients with possible VTE in the emergency department, ie, it doesn’t need to be taken into account when assessing pre-test probability. Instead, standard risk factors, such as previous VTE or malignancy, should be considered.