Vaccine‐induced prothrombotic immune thrombocytopenia without thrombosis may not require immune modulatory therapy: A case report

Abstract Background Vaccine‐induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT) is a rare complication of the ChAdOx1 nCoV‐19 and Ad26.COV2.S COVID‐19 vaccines. It presents most commonly with severe thrombocytopenia and thrombotic complications with extremely high D‐dimer levels 5–30 days after vaccin...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Chieh Min Benjamin Lai, Agnes Y.Y. Lee, Stephen B.I. Parkin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2022-05-01
Series:Research and Practice in Thrombosis and Haemostasis
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/rth2.12716
Description
Summary:Abstract Background Vaccine‐induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT) is a rare complication of the ChAdOx1 nCoV‐19 and Ad26.COV2.S COVID‐19 vaccines. It presents most commonly with severe thrombocytopenia and thrombotic complications with extremely high D‐dimer levels 5–30 days after vaccination. We report a patient who presented with mild thrombocytopenia and minimally elevated D‐dimer levels without thrombosis, but who tested positive for antiplatelet factor 4 (PF4) platelet‐activating antibodies on a PF4‐enhanced serotonin‐release assay. Key Clinical Question Is immunomodulation necessary in patients who present without thrombosis? Clinical Approach and Conclusions Treatment with rivaroxaban alone was followed by platelet normalization despite persistence of anti‐PF4 antibodies. This case provides support that vaccination for COVID‐19 can induce a broad, heterogeneous prothrombotic disorder characterized by anti‐PF4 platelet‐activating antibodies that shares features with classical heparin‐induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) and autoimmune HIT syndromes and that immunomodulation may not be required in those without thrombosis.
ISSN:2475-0379