Ultrastructural findings of lung injury due to Vaccine-induced Immune Thrombotic Thrombo- cytopenia (VITT) following COVID-19 vaccination: a scanning electron microscopic study

Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci. 2022 Jan;26(1):270-277. doi: 10.26355/eurrev_202201_27777.

Abstract

Vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT) is a rare new syndrome occurring after the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine immunization. Patients with VITT are characterized by a variable clinical presentation, likewise also the outcome of these patients is very variable. Here we report the lung ultrastructural findings in the course of VITT of a 58-year-old male patient. Alveoli were mainly dilated, irregular in shape, and occupied by a reticular network of fibrin, while interalveolar septa appeared thickened. The proliferation of small capillaries gave rise to plexiform structures and pulmonary capillary hemangiomatosis-like features. Near the alveoli occupied by a dense fibrin network, the medium-sized arteries showed a modified wall and an intraluminal thrombus. This scenario looks quite similar to that found during COVID-19, where the lungs suffer from the attack of the antigen-antibodies complexes and the virus respectively. In both diseases, the final outcome is a severe inflammation, activation of the haemostatic system and fibrinolysis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • COVID-19 / prevention & control
  • ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 / adverse effects*
  • ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 / immunology
  • Fibrin
  • Humans
  • Lung Injury / diagnostic imaging
  • Lung Injury / etiology*
  • Lung Injury / immunology
  • Lung Injury / pathology*
  • Male
  • Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
  • Middle Aged
  • Parenchymal Tissue / pathology
  • Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic / chemically induced*
  • Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic / diagnosis
  • Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic / immunology
  • Vaccination / adverse effects*

Substances

  • Fibrin
  • ChAdOx1 nCoV-19