Platelet‐leukocyte interactions in COVID‐19: Contributions to hypercoagulability, inflammation, and disease severity

A State of the Art lecture titled “Platelet‐leukocyte interactions in COVID‐19: Contributions to hypercoagulability, inflammation and disease severity” was presented at the International Society for Thrombosis and Hemostasis (ISTH) congress in 2021. Severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) has been associated with a high incidence of coagulopathy and thromboembolic events that contributes to disease severity and poor outcomes. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms of COVID‐19‐associated hypercoagulability and thromboinflammation has gained great interest. Here, we review the mechanisms involved in platelet activation and platelet interactions with leukocytes during COVID‐19. We highlight recent evidence that platelet activation, platelet‐monocyte, and platelet‐neutrophil interactions in COVID‐19 support pathological thromboinflammation, including in driving tissue factor expression and NETosis, which have been associated with thromboembolic complication and poor outcomes in critically ill patients. The contributions of platelet‐leukocyte interactions to COVID‐19 immunoregulation, inflammation, and hypercoagulability, as well as their potential implications in disease severity and therapeutic strategies, will be discussed. Finally, we summarize relevant new data on this topic presented during the 2021 ISTH Congress.