I just saw this new research published in Nature. This may give doctors new pathway to help patients.

A Nature study published in June 2025 by Australian scientists revealed that in patients with severe COVID-19, the delicate lining of blood vessels, called endothelial cells, starts to break down when oxygen-rich blood cannot reach tissues. This breakdown of endothelial cells, potentially triggered by COVID-19 infection, causes immune signals that lead to red blood cells bursting and releasing sticky contents into the bloodstream. This “glue-like” material can clog the smallest blood vessels (capillaries), blocking circulation and causing tissue damage in organs like the kidneys, liver, and heart.

Interestingly, the researchers were surprised to find no widespread fibrin and clotting in analyzing patient samples, which was initially expected. Instead, they found that the microcirculation issues were primarily due to the debris from broken red blood cells. This suggested a novel mechanism of vascular damage in COVID-19 through the death of endothelial cells, which had not been previously considered. The study highlights that this microvascular damage and broken red blood cell issue were significant problems in the microcirculation of COVID-19 patients.

This research suggests that targeting the death of these vessel-lining cells could be a potential strategy to combat COVID-19 symptoms and long COVID, potentially requiring a combination of treatments. These findings may also impact our understanding of other conditions like stroke and heart attack where standard treatments are not effective.