Utrecht University

Academic Institute

Olaf Klungel - Chief Investigator - Utrecht UniversityGeert-Jan Geersing - Collaborator - UMC UtrechtHendrika van den Ham - Collaborator - Utrecht UniversityPatrick Souverein - Corresponding Applicant - Utrecht UniversitySander van Doorn - Collaborator - UMC Utrecht

CPRD08

Over the last months, the world has experienced a global outbreak of Covid-19. Covid-19 fortunately leads to a mild viral respiratory infection in most patients. However, about 10% of affected patients will develop critical illness, leading to death in some of them. Development of critical illness appears to be strongly linked with cardiovascular disease, as exemplified by the observation that most hospitalized patients are known with cardiovascular disease or its risk factors like diabetes and obesity. Also, we know that deterioration into critical illness occurs often very rapidly, likely due to inflammation of the vessel wall and formation of blood clots that obstruct blood flow of the lungs. Too often, it then is too late to stop this ‘perfect storm’ of uncontrolled inflammation and thrombosis and only supportive care (e.g. mechanical ventilation) can be provided.

From late 2019 onwards, the spread of the novel corona virus SARS-CoV-2 reached pandemic proportions. While the resulting infectious disorder Covid-19 showed a mild disease course in most patients, a small proportion of patients developed critical illness, necessitating oxygen admission or ICU admission with mechanical ventilation, and sometimes leading to death. Early studies showed a clear association of Covid-19 with cardiovascular disease. From an epidemiological aspect, there were clear observations showing an overrepresentation of patients with a history of cardiovascular disease and metabolic risk factors (e.g. diabetes and obesity) in those entering hospital care. Pathophysiological explanations for these observations might involve endothelial involvement, vascular leakage, hypercoagulability and thrombosis in Covid-19 patients with critical illness.

09/07/2021

Release