Case of COVID-19 infection and polycythaemia presenting with massive acute pulmonary embolism

BMJ Case Rep. 2020 Sep 18;13(9):e237390. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2020-237390.

Abstract

We are reporting a middle-aged male patient with polycythaemia vera comorbidity. The patient was exhibiting symptoms including fever, cough and shortness of breath and was found to have acute pulmonary embolism. He was diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2. This case suggests that a high index of suspicion should be taken into consideration for thromboembolic events, when treating patients with COVID-19 with breathing difficulty and low oxygen saturation levels, especially in those who have underlying predisposing conditions for coagulopathy.

Keywords: haematology (including blood transfusion); infections; pulmonary embolism.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Betacoronavirus
  • COVID-19
  • Computed Tomography Angiography
  • Coronavirus Infections / blood
  • Coronavirus Infections / complications*
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / complications
  • Echocardiography
  • Fibrinolytic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Heparin / therapeutic use
  • Humans
  • Hypertension / complications
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pandemics
  • Pneumonia, Viral / blood
  • Pneumonia, Viral / complications*
  • Polycythemia Vera / blood
  • Polycythemia Vera / complications*
  • Pulmonary Artery / diagnostic imaging
  • Pulmonary Embolism / diagnostic imaging
  • Pulmonary Embolism / drug therapy
  • Pulmonary Embolism / etiology*
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Thrombolytic Therapy
  • Tissue Plasminogen Activator / therapeutic use
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed
  • Ventricular Dysfunction, Right / diagnostic imaging
  • Ventricular Dysfunction, Right / etiology

Substances

  • Fibrinolytic Agents
  • Heparin
  • Tissue Plasminogen Activator