Journal of Nepal Medical Association (Mar 2021)

Prevalance of Elevated D-dimer Levels in Confirmed COVID-19 Cases in Intensive Care Unit of a Tertiary Care Centre of Western Nepal

  • Prabin Khatri,
  • Krishna Kumar Agrawal,
  • Dipesh Sharma,
  • Pradip Chhetri,
  • Aryan Neupane,
  • Rano Mal Piryani,
  • Pawan Puspa Baral,
  • Suman Raj Sapkota,
  • Ashish Banjade,
  • Ashmita Chhetri,
  • Subarna Bhandari,
  • Swaraj Bharali

DOI
https://doi.org/10.31729/jnma.6284
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 59, no. 235

Abstract

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Introduction: D-dimer is currently the best available marker for COVID-19 associated hemostatic abnormalities. This study aims to find out the prevelance of elevated D-dimer levels in confirmed COVID-19 cases in intensive care unit of a tertiary care hospital of western Nepal. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 95 patients admitted to COVID Intensive Care Unit of a teriary care centre from August 2020 to January 2021 after taking ethical clearence from Institutional Review Committee in order to determine the D-dimer levels in confirmed COVID-19 cases. D-dimer value was measured at the admission and the highest D-dimer value was recorded during the course of hospital stay with the risk of mortality in confirmed COVID-19 cases. The normal range of D-dimer was taken as <0.35 mg/dl as per our hospital laboratory standards. Convenience sampling method was used. Data entry and descriptive analysis were done in Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 25.0, point estimate at 95% Confidence Interval was calculated along with frequency and proportion for binary data. Results: Out of total 95 cases of COVID-19 included in this study, 25 (89.3%) patients with age ≥65 years and 42 (62.69%) patients aged <65 years had elevated D-dimer on admission. Data showed that 29 (67.4%) patients having elevated D-dimer at admission had mortality. Conclusions: Elevated D-dimer levels was frequently seen in patients admitted in Intensive Care Unit with COVID-19. Our study suggested that measurement of D-dimer may guide in clinical decision making.

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