Bad Blood? The Uncertainty Around Microclots and Long Covid
May 24, 2024

(Undark) – Some scientists attribute the condition to a mysterious immune system activation, possibly triggered by viral fragments lingering in the body. In this theory of long Covid’s origin, those viral bits and pieces inflame blood vessels, potentially leading to microclots that clog veins and capillaries and deprive tissues of oxygen. For patients frustrated by the lack of therapeutic alternatives, clot-busting approaches have become “a beacon of hope,” Silverstein said. That’s because unlike other purported mechanisms in long Covid, clotting is readily treatable with existing therapies.
But the link between microclots and long Covid has also proven controversial. While clotting is clearly documented in patients who become severely ill with a Covid infection, the notion that similar mechanisms drive long Covid symptoms hasn’t been fully accepted by the scientific community. (Read More)