Prominent Hypercoagulability Associated With Inflammatory State Among Cancer Patients With SARS-CoV-2 Infection

• Main Authors: Bei Xiong, Tao Liu, Ping Luo, Yongchang Wei, Yi Zhou, Minghui Liu, Yongxi Zhang, Hanlun Wang, Xiaochun Zhang, Xinghuan Wang, Fuling Zhou
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2020-07-01
• Series: Frontiers in Oncology
• Subjects: SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19; cancer; D-dimer; hypercoagulability
• Online Access: https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fonc.2020.01345/full

Abnormal coagulation parameters and potential benefits of anticoagulant therapy in general population with novel coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19) have been reported. However, limited data are available on cancer patients. Coagulation indexes and inflammation parameters in 57 cancer patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection with different severity were retrospectively analyzed. We found that D-dimer levels were increased in 33 patients (57.9%, median: 790 ng/mL). Compared with ordinary type patients, severe and critical ill patients had decreased MPV values (P = 0.006), prolonged PT (median: 13.3 vs. 11.5 vs. 11.4 s, P < 0.001), significant higher D-dimer levels (median: 2,400 vs. 940 vs. 280 ng/mL, P < 0.001), higher PCT levels (median: 0.17 vs. 0.055 vs. 0.045 ng/mL, P = 0.002), higher IL-6 (median: 20.6 vs. 2.3 vs. 3.0 pg/mL, P = 0.040), and decreased PaO2 (median: 68 vs. 84 vs. 96 mm Hg, P < 0.001). Importantly, three patients, one severe and two critical ill type, with increased D-dimer survived after anticoagulant therapy with continuous heparin infusion. Increased D-dimer levels positively correlated with increased PCT levels (r = 0.456, P = 0.002) and IL-6 levels (r = 0.501, P = 0.045). A negative correlation between D-dimer levels and PaO2 levels (r = −0.654, P = 0.021) were also existed. Cancer patients with COVID-19 showed prominent hypercoagulability associated with severe inflammation, anticoagulation therapy might be useful to improve the prognosis and should be immediately used after the onset of hypercoagulability.