NTU Study Finds Recovered Covid-19 Patients At Higher Risk Of Blood Clots, Especially Those With Heart Conditions

Researchers Find Link Between Covid-19 Recovery, Blood Clots & Immune System

There are reports of Covid-19 patients who develop blood clots following their recovery

Now, a Nanyang Technological University (NTU) study finds that recovered Covid-19 patients may be at risk of developing blood clots.

This might be due to an “overactive immune system”, especially if the person has existing cardiovascular conditions.

As such, the researchers have recommended extra care for such patients if they recover from Covid-19.

Study finds increased risk of blood clots in recovered Covid-19 patients

The study, which involved 30 patients, found that there is an increased risk of developing blood clots after Covid-19 recovery.

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All of them had been discharged from hospital and had signs of blood vessel damage.

This may be due to a lingering immune response, causing blood clots to form.

They had twice the number of circulating endothelial cells (CECs) shed from damaged blood vessel walls.

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Patients also kept producing cytokines – proteins made by immune cells – even though the virus wasn’t present.

Researchers also found “unusually high” levels of T cells, or immune cells in patients’ blood.

This led the researchers to hypothesise that the patients’ immune systems were still activated even after Covid-19 recovery, which can attack their blood vessels.

Those with existing cardiovascular complications had a higher level of T cells.

Those with cardiovascular conditions should be cautious

According to NTU, the researchers had heard from clinicians about how recovered Covid-19 patients had recurrent issues with blood clots.

After the study, they also warned that those with existing cardiovascular conditions should be more cautious due to this added risk.

They encouraged vaccine take-up to protect from both the virus as well as its complications.

The study can inform post-hospitalisation care guidelines for Covid-19 patients, specially those who may get Covid-19 symptoms even after recovery.

Vaccine take-up recommended for those at risk

You can read the full study here, which was published on scientific journal eLife on 23 Mar.

It’s been established that those with cardiovascular conditions may be more vulnerable to Covid-19.

This can lead to an increased risk of heart attacks, stroke or organ failure.

It could mean that such persons should take up the vaccine so as to remove the added risks that could come up from an overactive immune system.

To protect your loved ones, you’re also recommended to take up the vaccine, especially if you have a family member or friend with such conditions.

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Featured image adapted from Unsplash and Cleveland Clinic.