Blood Clots in COVID-19 Patients Affected by Innate Immune System, Study Finds

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Blood vessel - Sputnik International, 1920, 01.06.2022
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In addition to causing severe respiratory problems, COVID-19 has been known to spark abnormalities in blood clotting, which has long puzzled researchers.
A gene variant in the innate immune system affects the risk of blood clots in the lungs of severely ill COVID-19 patients, a new study by Swedish researchers at Uppsala University and the Karolinska Institute has shown.
At the height of the pandemic, it became clear that COVID-19 patients had a greatly increased risk of developing blood clots, despite treatment with blood-thinning drugs. The mechanism behind the strong activation of the blood coagulation system in some patients has been unknown. However, the research crew found that a gene variant that regulates the levels of the protein mannose-binding lectin in the blood has a protective effect against blood clots in the lungs.

“With this study, we have come closer to an explanation of why COVID-19 patients have a greatly increased risk of blood clots,” Oskar Eriksson, doctor and researcher at Uppsala University and one of the study's lead authors, said in a statement.

Mannose-binding lectin is part of the innate immune system and is tasked with detecting and eliminating bacteria or virus-infected cells. It also “recognises” the SARS-CoV-2 virus which causes COVID-19.

“Now we can show how mannose-binding lectin affects the entire disease picture in COVID-19 patients. <...> We can show that the immune system is important for blood clot formation in COVID-19 patients, something that has long been suspected and which may explain why such high doses of blood-thinning drugs have been needed,” Oskar Eriksson said.

Hugo Zeberg of the Karolinska Institute stressed that the study also indicated “a genetic background to the complications that COVID-19 patients suffer from”.
Vials labelled AstraZeneca COVID-19 Coronavirus Vaccine and a syringe are seen in front of a displayed AstraZeneca logo in this illustration taken March 10, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration - Sputnik International, 1920, 12.04.2021
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An earlier Swedish study published by the BMJ found an increased risk of deep vein thrombosis (a blood clot in the leg) lasting up to three months after a COVID-19 infection, higher risk of pulmonary embolism (a blood clot in the lung) lasting up to six months, and increased risk of a bleeding event lasting up to two months.
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