Publication: Prevalance of Elevated D-dimer Levels in Confirmed COVID-19 Cases in Intensive Care Unit of a Tertiary Care Centre of Western Nepal
Date
2021
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Nepal Medical Association
Abstract
Abstract:
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.
Description
Prabin Khatri
Department of Internal Medicine, Universal College of Medical Sciences, Bhairahawa, Nepal
Krishna Kumar Agrawal
Department of Internal Medicine, Universal College of Medical Sciences, Bhairahawa, Nepal
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4148-6903
Dipesh Sharma
Karuna Hospital. Kathmandu, Nepal
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9032-2219
Pradip Chhetri
Department of Community Medicine, Universal College of Medical Sciences, Bhairahawa, Nepal
Aryan Neupane
Universal College of Medical Sciences, Bhairahawa, Nepal
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6893-7444
Rano Mal Piryani
Department of Internal Medicine, Universal College of Medical Sciences, Bhairahawa, Nepal
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2574-7226
Pawan Puspa Baral
Department of Anesthesiology, Universal College of Medical Sciences, Bhairahawa, Nepal
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0876-5468
Suman Raj Sapkota
Department of Internal Medicine, Universal College of Medical Sciences, Bhairahawa, Nepal
Ashish Banjade
Universal College of Medical Sciences, Bhairahawa, Nepal
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9138-174X
Ashmita Chhetri
Universal College of Medical Sciences, Bhairahawa, Nepal
Subarna Bhandari
Universal College of Medical Sciences, Bhairahawa, Nepal
Swaraj Bharali
Universal College of Medical Sciences, Bhairahawa, Nepal
Keywords
COVID-19, d-dimer, intensive care unit