articleCritical Care and ResuscitationMar 1, 2020HYBRID OA

Microvascular COVID-19 lung vessels obstructive thromboinflammatory syndrome (MicroCLOTS): an atypical acute respiratory distress syndrome working hypothesis

FCFabio CiceriLBLuigi BerettaAMAnna Mara ScandroglioSLSergio L. ColomboGLGiovanni Landoni

Vita-Salute San Raffaele University · Istituti di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico · +1 more institution

PubMed
Indexed incrossrefpubmed

Abstract

We suggest the use of MicroCLOTS (microvascular COVID-19 lung vessels obstructive thromboinflammatory syndrome) as a new name for severe pulmonary coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We hypothesise that, in predisposed individuals, alveolar viral damage is followed by an inflammatory reaction and by microvascular pulmonary thrombosis. This progressive endothelial thromboinflammatory syndrome may also involve the microvascular bed of the brain and other vital organs, leading to multiple organ failure and death. Future steps in the understanding of the disease and in the identification of treatments may benefit from this definition and hypothesised sequence of events.

Citation impact

491
total citations
FWCI
11.87
Percentile
100%
References
14
Citations per year

Authors

13

Topics & keywords

Topics
Keywords
  • Medicine
  • Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
  • Lung
  • Diffuse alveolar damage
  • Acute respiratory distress
  • Disease
  • Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)
  • Pathology
UN Sustainable Development Goals
  • Good health and well-being
No related works found for this paper.