A Case of Bleeding During Infection With COVID-19

Dr. Patrick Lowe: Our case today is that of a 47-year-old woman who was referred to our emergency department (ED) due to bloody urine, dark tarry stools, red spots on her skin, and bruising throughout her body. Fourteen days prior to presentation, she began exhibiting intermittent fevers, headache, shortness of breath, and a dry cough, and she tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19 pneumonia). Over the 3 days prior to her ED presentation, she experienced a headache that was more intense than the headaches she had been having in the preceding 2 weeks. She reported episodes of both dark urine as well as bright red blood in her urine. In addition, she had multiple dark stools described as tar-like when asked. On the day of her ED presentation, the patient noted a red rash throughout her body. In addition, earlier in the day, she had atraumatic self-limited epistaxis. She denied any falls or head strikes, vision changes, focal weakness or numbness, shortness of breath, chest pain, abdominal pain, or peripheral swelling.