Fibrinaloid microclots

https://longcovidatlas.org/glossary/fibrinaloid-microclots

In plain language

What it is

Tiny abnormal clots, too small for routine tests, that can block the smallest vessels and starve tissue of oxygen.

Why it matters

They are a proposed reason for low oxygen delivery and exertion problems, though their role is still debated.

Think of it like

Sludge in the narrowest pipes: not enough to burst anything, enough to choke the flow.

For specialists

Formal definition

Amyloid-resistant fibrin microclots reported in long COVID plasma that resist normal fibrinolysis.

Mechanism

Endothelial injury exposes tissue factor and activates platelets, seeding microclots; the clots in turn injure the lining further.

Active debate

Detection methods and clinical significance are contested, and triple anticoagulation is not an established treatment.

Sources