Hypoxia - an overlooked trigger for thrombosis in COVID-19 and other critically ill patients

In a recent publication, GEMELLI against COVID-19 group from Italy demonstrated higher incidence of deep vein thrombosis among non-ICU patients despite pharmacological thromboprophylaxis.¹ They identified traditional risk factors like underlying malignancy and immobility as being significantly more prevent in the thrombosis group in addition to the need for high-flow oxygenation. This finding of hypoxia as a trigger for thrombosis in COVID-19 has so far not been explored in detail.