Massive image-based single-cell profiling reveals high levels of circulating platelet aggregates in patients with COVID-19, 2021, Nishikawa et al

Massive image-based single-cell profiling reveals high levels of circulating platelet aggregates in patients with COVID-19
Nishikawa, M., Kanno, H., Zhou, Y. et al.

Abstract
A characteristic clinical feature of COVID-19 is the frequent incidence of microvascular thrombosis. In fact, COVID-19 autopsy reports have shown widespread thrombotic micro-angiopathy characterized by extensive diffuse microthrombi within peripheral capillaries and arterioles in lungs, hearts, and other organs, resulting in multiorgan failure.

However, the underlying process of COVID-19-associated microvascular thrombosis remains elusive due to the lack of tools to statistically examine platelet aggregation (i.e., the initiation of micro-thrombus formation) in detail.

Here we report the landscape of circulating platelet aggregates in COVID-19 obtained by massive single-cell image-based profiling and temporal monitoring of the blood of COVID-19 patients (n = 110). Surprisingly, our analysis of the big image data shows the anomalous presence of excessive platelet aggregates in nearly 90% of all COVID-19 patients.

Furthermore, results indicate strong links between the concentration of platelet aggregates and the severity, mortality, respiratory condition, and vascular endothelial dysfunction level of COVID-19 patients.

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