Acute Lower Limb Ischemia as Clinical Presentation of COVID-19 Infection

Abstract

Novel 2019 coronavirus (COVID-19) infection usually causes a respiratory disease that may vary in severity from mild symptoms to severe pneumonia with multiple organ failure. Coagulation abnormalities are frequent, and reports suggest that COVID-19 may predispose to venous and arterial thrombotic complications. We report a case of acute lower limb ischemia and resistance to heparin as the onset of COVID-19 disease, preceding the development of respiratory failure. This case highlights that the shift of coagulation profile toward hypercoagulability was associated with the acute ischemic event and influenced the therapy.