Department of Medicine, University of California Irvine School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, USA.
Vasc Health Risk Manag. 2021 Jun 1;17:273-298. doi: 10.2147/VHRM.S299357. eCollection 2021.
COVID-19 sepsis is characterized by acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) as a consequence of pulmonary tropism of the virus and endothelial heterogeneity of the host. ARDS is a phenotype among patients with multiorgan dysfunction syndrome (MODS) due to disseminated vascular microthrombotic disease (VMTD). In response to the viral septicemia, the host activates the complement system which produces terminal complement complex C5b-9 to neutralize pathogen. C5b-9 causes pore formation on the membrane of host endothelial cells (ECs) if CD59 is underexpressed. Also, viral S protein attraction to endothelial ACE2 receptor damages ECs. Both affect ECs and provoke endotheliopathy. Disseminated endotheliopathy activates two molecular pathways: inflammatory and microthrombotic. The former releases inflammatory cytokines from ECs, which lead to inflammation. The latter initiates endothelial exocytosis of unusually large von Willebrand factor (ULVWF) multimers and FVIII from Weibel-Palade bodies. If ADAMTS13 is insufficient, ULVWF multimers activate intravascular hemostasis of ULVWF path. In activated ULVWF path, ULVWF multimers anchored to damaged endothelial cells recruit circulating platelets and trigger microthrombogenesis. This process produces "microthrombi strings" composed of platelet-ULVWF complexes, leading to endotheliopathy-associated VMTD (EA-VMTD). In COVID-19, microthrombosis initially affects the lungs per tropism causing ARDS, but EA-VMTD may orchestrate more complex clinical phenotypes, including thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP)-like syndrome, hepatic coagulopathy, MODS and combined micro-macrothrombotic syndrome. In this pandemic, ARDS and pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) have often coexisted. The analysis based on two hemostatic theories supports ARDS caused by activated ULVWF path is EA-VMTD and PTE caused by activated ULVWF and TF paths is macrothrombosis. The thrombotic disorder of COVID-19 sepsis is consistent with the notion that ARDS is virus-induced disseminated EA-VMTD and PTE is in-hospital vascular injury-related macrothrombosis which is not directly related to viral pathogenesis. The pathogenesis-based therapeutic approach is discussed for the treatment of EA-VMTD with antimicrothrombotic regimen and the potential need of anticoagulation therapy for coinciding macrothrombosis in comprehensive COVID-19 care.
COVID-19 败血症的特征是急性呼吸窘迫综合征(ARDS),这是病毒对肺的亲嗜性和宿主内皮细胞异质性的结果。ARDS 是多器官功能障碍综合征(MODS)患者的一种表型,其原因是弥散性血管微血栓形成病(VMTD)。为了应对病毒败血症,宿主激活补体系统,产生末端补体复合物 C5b-9 来中和病原体。如果 CD59 表达不足,C5b-9 会在宿主内皮细胞(ECs)的膜上形成孔。此外,病毒 S 蛋白吸引内皮 ACE2 受体损害 ECs。这两者都会影响 ECs 并引发内皮病变。弥散性内皮病变激活两个分子途径:炎症和微血栓形成。前者从 ECs 释放炎症细胞因子,导致炎症。后者启动内皮细胞从 Weibel-Palade 体中释放超大 von Willebrand 因子(ULVWF)多聚体和因子 VIII。如果 ADAMTS13 不足,ULVWF 多聚体激活 ULVWF 途径的血管内止血。在激活的 ULVWF 途径中,锚定在受损内皮细胞上的 ULVWF 多聚体募集循环血小板并引发微血栓形成。这个过程产生由血小板-ULVWF 复合物组成的“微血栓丝”,导致与内皮病变相关的 VMTD(EA-VMTD)。在 COVID-19 中,微血栓形成最初受病毒亲嗜性影响,导致 ARDS,但 EA-VMTD 可能会引发更复杂的临床表型,包括血栓性血小板减少性紫癜(TTP)样综合征、肝凝血功能障碍、MODS 和合并的微巨血栓形成综合征。在这场大流行中,ARDS 和肺血栓栓塞症(PTE)经常同时存在。基于两种止血理论的分析支持,由激活的 ULVWF 途径引起的 ARDS 是 EA-VMTD,由激活的 ULVWF 和 TF 途径引起的 PTE 是大血栓形成。COVID-19 败血症的血栓性疾病与以下观点一致,即 ARDS 是病毒诱导的弥散性 EA-VMTD,PTE 是医院内血管损伤相关的大血栓形成,与病毒发病机制无关。基于发病机制的治疗方法是讨论针对 EA-VMTD 的抗微血栓形成方案,以及在全面 COVID-19 护理中同时存在大血栓形成时抗凝治疗的潜在需求。