Abstract

A 47-year-old female patient with no known disease other than rheumatoid arthritis in remission was admitted to the hospital with complaints of bruising on her feet, breasts, hips, and back. It was determined that her severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 polymerase chain reaction test was positive 7 days ago and she received favipiravir treatment for 5 days. In the physical examination, ecchymotic lesions were detected in her both feet, breasts, trochanteric regions, and posterior thoracic regions, which were symmetrical and did not change color with pressure in varying sizes. There were diffuse bilateral ground glass and consolidation areas in the computed tomography of the lungs. Because of the histopathological examination of the biopsy taken from the skin lesions, the patient was diagnosed with leukocytoclastic vasculitis. In the lower extremity venous Doppler ultrasonography examination, there was complete occlusion due to thrombus in the subacute period in the right vena saphena parva. During the subsequent intensive care follow-up period, necrotic lesions progressed to amputation in the right foot, debridement in the left foot, and trochanteric regions, and bilateral mastectomy. Our patient required multidisciplinary management involving many specialties during her long-term stay in the intensive care unit. Here, we present a case of coronavirus disease-2019 leading to severe and diffuse leukocytoclastic vasculitis resulting in amputation.

Keywords: Coagulopathy, leukocytoclastic vasculitis, COVID-19, amputation

References

  1. Soni M, Gopalakrishnan R, Vaishya R, Prabu P. D-dimer level is a useful predictor for mortality in patients with COVID-19: Analysis of 483 cases. Diabetes Metab Syndr 2020;14:2245-9.
  2. Zhang Y, Cao W, Xiao M, Li YJ, Yang Y, Zhao J, et al. [Clinical and coagulation characteristics in 7 patients with critical COVID-2019 pneumonia and acro-ischemia]. Zhonghua Xue Ye Xue Za Zhi 2020;41:302-7.
  3. Thachil J, Cushman M, Srivastava A. A proposal for staging COVID-19 coagulopathy. Res Pract Thromb Haemost 2020;4:731-6.
  4. Ay C, Dunkler D, Pirker R, Thaler J, Quehenberger P, Wagner O, et al. High D-dimer levels are associated with poor prognosis in cancer patients. Haematologica 2012;97:1158-64.
  5. Zhang L, Yan X, Fan Q, Liu H, Liu X, Liu Z, Zhang Z. D-dimer levels on admission to predict in-hospital mortality in patients with Covid-19. J Thromb Haemost 2020;18:1324-9.
  6. Tang N, Li D, Wang X, Sun Z. Abnormal coagulation parameters are associated with poor prognosis in patients with novel coronavirus pneumonia. J Thromb Haemost 2020;18:844-7.
  7. Cordier PY, Pierrou C, Noel A, Paris R, Gaudray E, Martin E, et al. Complex and prolonged hypercoagulability in coronavirus disease 2019 intensive care unit patients: A thromboelastographic study. Aust Crit Care 2021;34:160-6.
  8. Taylor FB Jr, Toh CH, Hoots WK, Wada H, Levi M; Scientific Subcommittee on Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC) of the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH). Towards definition, clinical and laboratory criteria, and a scoring system for disseminated intravascular coagulation. Thromb Haemost 2001;86:1327-30.
  9. Younger DS, Carlson A. Dermatologic Aspects of Systemic Vasculitis. Neurol Clin 2019;37:465-73.
  10. Justiniano H, Berlingeri-Ramos AC, Sánchez JL. Pattern analysis of drug-induced skin diseases. Am J Dermatopathol 2008;30:352-69.
  11. Baigrie D, Goyal A, Crane JS. Leukocytoclastic Vasculitis. 2022. In: StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls.
  12. Carlson JA. The histological assessment of cutaneous vasculitis. Histopathology 2010;56:3-23.
  13. Alattar KO, Subhi FN, Saif Alshamsi AH, Eisa N, Shaikh NA, Mobushar JA, et al. COVID-19-associated leukocytoclastic vasculitis leading to gangrene and amputation. IDCases. 2021;24:e01117.
  14. Iraji F, Galehdari H, Siadat AH, Bokaei Jazi S. Cutaneous leukocytoclastic vasculitis secondary to COVID-19 infection: A case report. Clin Case Rep 2020;9:830-4.
  15. Gouveia PADC, Cipriano IC, de Melo MAZ, da Silva HTA, Amorim MAO, de Sá Leitão CC, et al. Exuberant bullous vasculitis associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. IDCases 2021;23:e01047.
  16. Camprodon Gómez M, González-Cruz C, Ferrer B, Barberá MJ. Leucocytoclastic vasculitis in a patient with COVID-19 with positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR in skin biopsy. BMJ Case Rep 2020;13:e238039.
  17. Mayor-Ibarguren A, Feito-Rodriguez M, Quintana Castanedo L, Ruiz-Bravo E, Montero Vega D, Herranz-Pinto P. Cutaneous small vessel vasculitis secondary to COVID-19 infection: a case report. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol 2020;34:e541-2.
  18. Kutlu Ö, Öğüt ND, Erbağcı E, Metin A. Dermatologic comorbidities of the patients with severe COVID-19: A case-control study. Dermatol Ther 2021;34:e14731.
  19. Kutlu Ö, Öğüt ND, Erbağcı E, Metin A. Dermatologic comorbidities of the patients with severe COVID-19: A case-control study. Dermatol Ther 2021;34:e14731.
  20. Koutkia P, Mylonakis E, Rounds S, Erickson A. Leucocytoclastic vasculitis: an update for the clinician. Scand J Rheumatol 2001;30:315-22.

How to cite?

1.
Öztürk ÇE, Yılmaz EM. A Fatal Case of COVID-19 with Diffuse Leukocytoclastic Vasculitis of Both Hips, Breasts, Feet, and Back. Turk J Intensive Care. 2023;21(2):140-145. https://doi.org/10.4274/tybd.galenos.2023.26056