Among classic myeloproliferative neoplasms, essential thrombocythemia is associated with the greatest risk of venous thromboembolism during COVID-19

Blood Cancer J. 2021 Feb 4;11(2):21. doi: 10.1038/s41408-021-00417-3.

Abstract

In a multicenter European retrospective study including 162 patients with COVID-19 occurring in essential thrombocythemia (ET, n = 48), polycythemia vera (PV, n = 42), myelofibrosis (MF, n = 56), and prefibrotic myelofibrosis (pre-PMF, n = 16), 15 major thromboses (3 arterial and 12 venous) were registered in 14 patients, of whom all, but one, were receiving LMW-heparin prophylaxis. After adjustment for the competing risk of death, the cumulative incidence of arterial and venous thromboembolic events (VTE) reached 8.5% after 60 days follow-up. Of note, 8 of 12 VTE were seen in ET. Interestingly, at COVID-19 diagnosis, MPN patients had significantly lower platelet count (p < 0.0001) than in the pre-COVID last follow-up.This decline was remarkably higher in ET (-23.3%, p < 0.0001) than in PV (-16.4%, p = 0.1730) and was associated with higher mortality rate (p = 0.0010) for pneumonia. The effects of possible predictors of thrombosis, selected from those clinically relevant and statistically significant in univariate analysis, were examined in a multivariate model. Independent risk factors were transfer to ICU (SHR = 3.73, p = 0.029), neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (SHR = 1.1, p = 0.001) and ET phenotype (SHR = 4.37, p = 0.006). The enhanced susceptibility to ET-associated VTE and the associated higher mortality for pneumonia may recognize a common biological plausibility and deserve to be delved to tailor new antithrombotic regimens including antiplatelet drugs.

Publication types

  • Multicenter Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Bone Marrow Neoplasms / complications
  • Bone Marrow Neoplasms / epidemiology*
  • COVID-19 / complications
  • COVID-19 / epidemiology*
  • Cohort Studies
  • Europe / epidemiology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Myeloproliferative Disorders / complications
  • Myeloproliferative Disorders / epidemiology*
  • Pandemics
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Risk Factors
  • SARS-CoV-2 / physiology
  • Thrombocythemia, Essential / complications
  • Thrombocythemia, Essential / epidemiology*
  • Venous Thromboembolism / epidemiology*
  • Venous Thromboembolism / etiology*