While COVID-19 primarily targets the lungs, a pivotal study reveals another critical threat: widespread blood clots that endanger lives.
This research examined 184 critically ill COVID-19 patients across three leading Dutch hospitals: Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), Amphia Hospital in Breda, and Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam.
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“We were unaware that so many COVID-19 patients developed thrombosis complications,” says Professor Menno Huisman of Internal Medicine at LUMC, who co-led the study with internist Rik Endeman at Erasmus MC, in an NOS.nl interview. “These results have surprised experts worldwide. Until now, attention focused on lung infections and their effects, overlooking thrombosis risks.”
Huisman emphasizes the study's importance: ICU patients can now receive higher doses of blood thinners to prevent thrombosis, potentially improving survival rates.
