THE IMPACT OF ANTICOAGULANTS ON COAGULATION PARAMETERS IN THE TREATMENT OF PATIENTS WITH COMMUNITY-ACQUIRED PNEUMONIA ASSOCIATED WITH COVID-19
Authors: Avgaitis S.S. 
Published: November 2024

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of anticoagulants on coagulation parameters in the treatment of patients with community-acquired pneumonia associated with coronavirus infection.
Materials and methods. An open, prospective, observational study was conducted to achieve the research objectives. Between January 2021 and February 2022, 256 patients aged 40 to 65 years with community-acquired pneumonia were examined at the outpatient clinic of the Kherson City Clinical Hospital named after Athanasius and Olga Tropin of the Kherson City Council. Of these, 177 cases were associated with SARS-CoV-2, while 79 patients tested negative for coronavirus infection. Additionally, thirty-five healthy individuals were examined on an outpatient basis. After randomization, 143 hospitalized patients with severe community-acquired pneumonia associated with COVID-19 were divided into subgroups based on the anticoagulant used in their treatment regimen. The first subgroup consisted of 71 patients who received standard heparin infusions, while the second subgroup included 72 patients treated with enoxaparin.
Results. The prothrombin time in the group of healthy volunteers was 12.60 [11.80; 13.30] seconds, and the median value was significantly higher by 13.5% compared to both the group of patients with community-acquired pneumonia associated with COVID-19 and the group without COVID-19 (p < 0.05). The median fibrinogen level in patients with COVID-19 and community-acquired pneumonia was 4.80 [4.50; 5.40] g/L, which did not significantly differ from the 4.60 [4.30; 5.40] g/L in the non-COVID-19 pneumonia group (p > 0.05). However, a significant difference was observed when compared to the healthy volunteer group, which had a fibrinogen level of 3.30 [2.50; 3.80] g/L (p < 0.05). After 72 hours of treatment, prothrombin time was significantly higher in the first subgroup (12.00 [11.00; 13.00] seconds) compared to the second subgroup (11.30 [10.00; 12.30] seconds) (p < 0.05). There was also a statistically significant difference in the international normalized ratio (INR) levels between the subgroups after 72 hours of treatment, with the first subgroup showing an INR of 1.20 [1.10; 1.30] U, versus 1.10 [1.00; 1.30] U in the second subgroup (p < 0.05). After 14 days of treatment, fibrinogen levels showed a statistically significant difference: 4.30 [4.10; 4.60] g/L in the first subgroup compared to 4.50 [4.30; 4.90] g/L in the second subgroup (p < 0.05).
Conclusion. In patients with community-acquired pneumonia, blood coagulation parameters are disturbed, characterised by a decrease in prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time, as well as an increase in total fibrinogen levels. After 72 hours, heparin demonstrated a more effective effect on prothrombin time and international normalised ratio compared to enoxaparin. When assessing the dynamics of coagulation parameters after 14 days, heparin was found as was more effective in reducing the level of total fibrinogen compared to enoxaparin.