Multiple biventricular thrombi in a patient with alcoholic cardiomyopathy and COVID-19: A tragic association in a deadly pandemic

Abstract

As a primary cause, intracardiac thrombi are seen in a variety of cardiac conditions such as acute anterior myocardial infarctions and dilated cardiomyopathy. However, there are secondary predisposing conditions that increase the risk of clot formation in normally functioning ventricles. Migration or embolization of thrombus produced elsewhere, such as pulmonary thrombo-embolism, may occur at times. However, the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in a variety of intracardiac or extracardiac thrombi formations due to systemic inflammation and activation of the clotting system. We present a unique and rare case in association with alcoholic dilated cardiomyopathy and COVID-19, which resulted in the development of multiple biventricular thrombi.

Learning objectives: •Significant systolic dysfunction is unusual, especially in people with prolonged alcoholism.•The hypercoagulable condition of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), combined with myocardial damage secondary to alcohol, can result in extensive intracardiac thrombosis.•Thrombotic manifestations in COVID-19 are associated with a high mortality rate.

Keywords: Alcohol; Coronavirus disease 2019; Dilated cardiomyopathy; Intracardiac thrombus.