On Feb. 17, 2022, after studying blood samples from 244 patients hospitalized for COVID-19, a group of researchers, including those who worked at the National Institutes of Health, announced they had identified ﾓrogue antibodiesﾔ that correlate with severe illness and may help explain mechanisms associated with severe blood clotting.

The researchers found circulating antiphospholipid antibodies, which can be more common among people with autoimmune disorders, such as lupus. However, these ﾓautoantibodies,ﾔ which target a personﾒs own organs and systems, can also be activated in response to viral infections and activate other immune responses.