D-dimer levels as an associated factor for pulmonary embolism in COVID-19 patients in Critical Care Unit: A case-control study

Marcela Cano Arboleda 1, Juan Pablo Zuluaga-García 2, *, Ricardo Uribe-Gonzalez 3, Sara Moreno-Bedoya 4, Andrea Sierra 4, Andres Ramirez-Velez 4 and Jose Hugo Arias-Botero 5, 6

1 Department of Critical Care, Medellin General Hospital, Medellín, Colombia.
2 Department of Hospitalized, Hospital Pablo Tobon Uribe, Medellín, Colombia.
3 Department of radiology, Hospital Pablo Tobon Uribe, Medellín, Colombia.
4 Department of Anesthesiology, Universidad CES, Medellín, Colombia.
5 Faculty of Medicine professor, CES university, Medellín, Colombia.
6 Department of Anesthesiology, Hospital General de Medellin, Medellín, Colombia.
 
Research Article
World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2024, 22(01), 234–240
Article DOI: 10.30574/wjarr.2024.22.1.1058
 
Publication history: 
Received on 24 February 2024; revised on 02 April 2024; accepted on 05 April 2024
 
Abstract: 
Objective: Establish the association between the D-Dimer levels and pulmonary embolism (PE) in CT pulmonary angiogram (CTPA) in patients with COVID 19  in critical care.
Methodology: Case Control study in patients with diagnosis of COVID 19 in three critical care units during 2021 in Medellin. All patients had CTPA as a diagnostic method for PE.
Results: There were 135 cases and 136 controls, mean age 60 years old (IQ 51-70), 74.2 % were men. 39% had high blood pressure. Segmentary PE was found in 65.2%, lobar PE in 19.3% and 15.6% in the right or left pulmonary artery. We found that it is more likely to have PE if the D-Dimer value is more than 5000 ng/mL (ORa 7.8; IC95% 4.09-14.92).
Conclusion: D-Dimer is an independent factor that is associated with PE in patients with COVID - 19 in  critical care, especially if the value is over 5000 ng/mL.
 
Keywords: 
Pulmonary Embolism; SARS-CoV2; Thrombosis; Intensive care unit; Overweight; CT Angiography
 
Full text article in PDF: 
Share this