Several large UMCs and hospitals in the Netherlands are going to investigate whether there is a connection between the coronavirus, thrombosis and pulmonary emboli, the Thrombosis Foundation of the Netherlands reports on Sunday. In addition to the virus, many corona patients who are in intensive care also suffer from these conditions.
According to the Thrombosis Foundation, which funds the study, this concerns at least a third of all patients with the COVID-19 virus. This is evident from collected data from Dutch hospitals. Especially patients with pulmonary emboli are often worse off and die more often.
Much is still unclear about the connection, which is why more research is needed, according to the foundation. For example, the research should show whether corona patients develop thrombosis because they stop on the IC with an infection or whether the virus itself causes thrombosis.
Hope for better treatment for non-corona patients
Blood and clinical data are collected during the study to develop better treatment for corona patients with pulmonary embolism and thrombosis. The hope is that the research will also provide important data for the treatment of pulmonary embolism in patients who do not have the coronavirus.
The study is led by Marieke Kruip, hematologist at Erasmus MC in Rotterdam. “The aim of the research is to gain insight into the development of thrombosis in these patients and thus to prevent and treat thrombosis better. In addition, this knowledge may also be important for patients with other infections who develop clotting problems,” says Kruip.
It is not yet known when the investigation will start exactly. According to the Thrombosis Foundation, this will be “as soon as possible”.
Follow the latest developments around the virus in our live blog.
