Tianjin Medical Journal ›› 2023, Vol. 51 ›› Issue (8): 873-877.doi: 10.11958/20230161

• Clinical Research • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Clinical characteristics of COVID-19 complicated with pulmonary thromboembolism

GU Songtao(), JIA Wei, LI Yuechuan, ZHANG Dongrui, ZHANG Yating, GAO Shulian, LI Na   

  1. Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Tianjin Chest Hospital, Tianjin 300222, China
  • Received:2023-02-12 Revised:2023-05-12 Published:2023-08-15 Online:2023-08-10

Abstract:

Objective To study the clinical features of novel coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19) complicated with pulmonary thromboembolism. Methods A total of 27 patients with COVID-19 complicated with pulmonary thromboembolism were collected from December 2022 to January 2023 in the department of respiratory and critical care medicine, Tianjin Chest Hospital. The clinical features and prognosis of patients were summarized based on clinical information, laboratory tests, electrocardiogram, echocardiography, CT images, diagnosis and treatment. Results Among the 27 patients, 12 were males and 15 were females. The mean age was (71.78±9.21) years, ranged in age from 64 to 93 years old. There were 7 cases of coronary heart disease, 7 cases of malignant tumor, 4 cases of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, 2 cases of pulmonary tuberculosis and 1 case of pulmonary interstitial fibrosis. The main clinical manifestations were shortness of breath, cough, fever and pleural effusion. The electrocardiogram of most patients showed that T-wave of chest lead was inverted (12/27). Ultrasonography revealed deep venous thrombosis of lower extremity (13/27). The main CT findings were multiple ground-glass opacity (21/27), consolidation (17/27), segmental pulmonary embolism (23/27) and subsegmental pulmonary embolism (10/27). There were 11 patients accompanied by right ventricular dysfunction (RVD) and 2 died within 30 days after admission. All of them were elderly patients. Conclusion When patients with malignant tumors and chronic cardiopulmonary diseases have unexplained dyspnea and other manifestations, the possibility of COVID-19 combined with pulmonary thromboembolism should be considered. The imaging findings are mostly segmental and subsegmental pulmonary embolism with ground-glass opacity of both lungs. The prognosis of elderly patients with right ventricular dysfunction is not good.

Key words: COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, pulmonary embolism, prognosis

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