An overview of the role of D-dimer in COVID-19: elevated D-dimer level
is associated with disease severity
Abstract
The great number of patients presenting to health centers or hospitals
during the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) overwhelms
the need for critical care support. Early and effective predictors for
clinical outcomes are urgently needed for risk stratification.
Critically ill patients often develop coagulation disorders, in
particular hypercoagulation. Elevated D-dimer is a prominent indicator
for the initial coagulopathy of COVID-19. To estimate whether D-dimer is
associated with the severity of COVID-19, we performed the analysis of
D-dimer abnormalities in patients with COVID-19. The data demonstrated
that D-dimer levels were significantly higher in deceased patients than
in survivors (weighted mean difference(WMD): 3.70mg/L, 95% confidence
interval(CI):1.41–5.98mg/L), and the levels in severe patients were
also higher than those in mild cases (WMD: 0.39mg/L, 95% CI:
0.22–0.55mg/L). Therefore, we conclude that elevated D-dimer level is
related to the severity and poor prognosis of patients with COVID-19.