Fibrinolytic Therapy for Refractory COVID‐19 Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: Scientific Rationale and Review

Abstract

The COVID‐19 pandemic has caused respiratory failure and associated mortality in numbers that have overwhelmed global health systems. Thrombotic coagulopathy is present in nearly three‐quarters of COVID‐19 patients admitted to the intensive care unit, and both the clinical picture and pathologic findings are consistent with microvascular occlusive phenomena being a major contributor to their unique form of respiratory failure. Numerous studies are ongoing focusing on anti‐cytokine therapies, antibiotics and anti‐viral agents, but none to‐date have focused on treating the underlying thrombotic coagulopathy in an effort to improve respiratory failure in COVID‐19. There is animal data and a previous human trial demonstrating a survival advantage with fibrinolytic therapy to treat ARDS. Here we review the extant and emerging literature on the relationship between thrombotic coagulopathy and pulmonary failure in the context of COVID‐19 and present the scientific rationale for consideration of targeting the coagulation and fibrinolytic systems to improve pulmonary function in these patients.