In patients infected with SARS-CoV-2, it is well established that there is a high risk of thrombus formation, leading to devastating consequences such as pulmonary obstruction (embolism), heart attack and stroke more frequently than in community pneumonia. That is why the scientific community has been trying to identify a targeted therapy, in support of traditional therapies, to cope with the complications of thrombus formation and reduce the need for intensive care.

A new study coordinated by Francesco Violi of the Department of Clinical Internal, Anaesthesiological and Cardiovascular Sciences investigated whether albumin in Covid-19 patients with concomitant hypoalbuminemia inhibited blood coagulation. For one week, 10 Covid-19 patients already treated with anticoagulants were given intravenous albumin, and reduced coagulation was observed compared with 20 patients on anticoagulant alone. Francesco Pugliese from the Intensive Care Unit, Claudio Maria Mastroianni and Mario Venditti from the Department of Infectious Diseases at the Policlinico Umberto I General Hospital and Francesco Cipollone from the University of Chieti 'Gabriele d'Annunzio' also contributed to the study, which has been published in the journal Thrombosis and Haemostasis.

In a previous study, Violi's group had observed that Covid-19 patients had reduced albumin levels, a protein produced by the body that is one of the most powerful anti-inflammatory agents and has an anticoagulant effect.

"This observation,' says Violi, 'led us to suppose that low albumin levels could facilitate coagulation and thus also counteract the effectiveness of anticoagulant therapy. Although more patients are needed to confirm this preliminary data, the study opens the way to the use of albumin in Covid-19 patients to assess whether its infusion, combined with classical anticoagulant therapy, reduces the risk of thrombosis and thus mortality," concludes Violi.

References:

Albumin Supplementation Dampens Hypercoagulability in COVID-19: A Preliminary Report - Francesco Violi, Giancarlo Ceccarelli, Lorenzo Loffredo, Francesco Alessandri, Francesco Cipollone, Damiano D'ardes, Gabriella D'Ettorre, Pasquale Pignatelli, Mario Venditti, Claudio Maria Mastroianni, Francesco Pugliese -Thromb Haemost 2020. DOI: 10.1055/s-0040-1721486

Further Information

Francesco Violi
Department of Clinical Internal, Anaesthesiological and Cardiovascular Sciences
francesco.violi@uniroma1.it