Why so many COVID-19 patients get blood clots (thrombosis) remains uncertain.
Why so many COVID-19 patients get blood clots (thrombosis) remains uncertain. But scientists at Uppsala University and the University Hospital have now identified a mechanism they believe to be implicated. A particular protein triggers a part of our immune system that can boost the blood’s tendency to coagulate and form clots. The study is now published in Thrombosis and Haemostasis.
Since thrombosis has proved to be a common complication in severe COVID-19, most people receiving hospital care for the disease get them.
In a new study, researchers at Uppsala University have found that a key mechanism of clot formation in COVID-19 may be activation of what is known as the complement system, which is part of the immune system we are born with. This can be initiated by certain proteins, one example being mannose-binding lectin (MBL).
Sixty-five patients receiving intensive care at Uppsala University Hospital had their MBL levels and activity measured. In all those who developed thrombosis during their hospital stay, MBL activity and levels were found to be elevated.
Read more at Uppsala University
