Arterial thromboembolism associated with COVID-19 and elevated D-dimer levels

• Main Authors: Karan Garg, MD, Michael E. Barfield, MD, Michael L. Pezold, MD, Mikel Sadek, MD, Neal S. Cayne, MD, Joanelle Lugo, MD, Thomas S. Maldonado, MD, Todd L. Berland, MD, Caron B. Rockman, MD, Glenn R. Jacobowitz, MD
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2020-09-01
• Series: Journal of Vascular Surgery Cases and Innovative Techniques
• Subjects: COVID-19; Arterial thromboembolism; D-dimer
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468428720300770
• ISSN: 2468-4287

The novel coronavirus 2019 (SARS-CoV-2) was first identified in January 2020 and has since evolved into a pandemic affecting >200 countries. The severity of presentation is variable and carries a mortality between 1% and 3%. We continue to learn about the virus and the resulting acute respiratory illness and hypercoagulability; however, much remains unknown. In our early experience in a high-volume center, we report a series of four cases of acute peripheral artery ischemia in patients with COVID-19 in the setting of elevated D-dimer levels.