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.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19, intensive care unit, D-dimer, 【초록키워드】 COVID-19, review, Mortality, intensive care, cross-sectional, hospital, intensive care unit, risk, D-dimer, Laboratory, COVID, Nepal, Patient, Descriptive analysis, age, Admission, Care, marker, D-dimer level, Frequency, COVID-19 cases, Hospital stay, Science, confidence, clinical decision, Abnormalities, Statistical Package, convenience, D-dimer value, confirmed COVID-19 case, Committee, prevelance, Course, was measured, highest, was used, proportion, elevated, conducted, calculated, determine, suggested, interval, was recorded, with COVID-19, 【제목키워드】 COVID-19, intensive care unit, D-dimer, Nepal, Level, Confirmed, Tertiary,