Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) global pandemic has impacted daily life and medical practices around the world. Hospitals are continually making observations about this unique population as it relates to laboratory data and outcomes. Plasma D-dimer levels have been shown to be promising as a prognostic factor for outcomes in COVID-19 patients. This single institution retrospective study investigates the correlation between D-dimer and patient outcomes in our inpatient COVID-19 patient population.
Methods: COVID-19 confirmed positive patients who were admitted between March 2020 and May 2020 at our hospital were identified. Admission and peak D-dimer values and patient outcomes, including intubation and mortality, were retrospectively analyzed.
Results: Ninety-seven patients met criteria for inclusion in the study Mean age was 63.2 years, median admission D-dimer 2.35ug/mL, and median peak D-dimer 2.74ug/mL. Average time to peak D-dimer was 3.2 days. Patient's requiring intubation had higher admission D-dimers (3.79ug/mL vs. 1.62 ug/mL).
Discussion: Higher admission and peak D-dimer values were associated with worsening clinical outcomes, specifically with higher rates of intubation and mortality. Noting D-dimer trends early in a patients' COVID course, regardless of patients' clinical condition, may allow opportunities for physicians to provide early intervention to prevent these outcomes.
Keywords: COVID-19; D-dimer; thrombolytics.