“Lockdown-thrombosis”—an unexpected problem of the COVID-19 pandemic?

Abstract

Seated immobility thromboembolism syndrome (SIT) is the association of prolonged seated immobility with increased risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE). The advent of COVID-19 resulted in implementation of lockdowns to curb its spread. This resulted in compulsory work from home and minimization of outdoor activities. Consequently, this would have likely led to increased prolonged sitting and reduced mobility. Few case reports and studies have observed an increase in VTE incidence during the lockdown period. We likewise performed a clinical audit of our weekly thrombosis clinic cases and revealed three cases of VTE associated with prolonged sitting during Singapore’s COVID-19 lockdown. Notably, all had other minor VTE risk factors in addition to prolonged sitting. All cases had intermediate-high risk pulmonary embolism and were given extended anticoagulation. With the pandemic still ongoing, periodic lockdown and quarantine measures may continue to be imposed. While the overall VTE risk conferred by prolonged seated immobility associated with lockdown measures is likely to be small, this risk can be easily mitigated and possibly prevented by simply staying mobile.