Heparan Sulfate Consumption as a Potential Mechanism of Intra-cardiac Thrombosis in SARS-CoV-2 Infection

Cardiac injury occurs in up to 36% of hospitalized patients with COVID-19.1 Exact mechanism of cardiac injury in COVID-19 is not well understood, but may relate to direct cardiomyocyte damage, coronary plaque destabilization, cytokine inflammatory response, and intracoronary microthrombi formation. Lindner et al 2 in an autopsy study identified SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the myocardium in 24 of 39 autopsy cases. However, none of the 39 patients had myocarditis. Plasma pro-inflammatory cytokine levels were increased in 16 patients, suggesting cytokine response as a plausible cause of cardiac injury in COVID-19.
Source: Heart and Lung - Category: Intensive Care Authors: Source Type: research