Elevated plasma D-dimer level is associated with short-term poor outcome in patients with acute ischemic stroke: a prospective, observational study

Abstract

Background Elevated level of D-dimer increases the risk of ischemic stroke, stroke severity and progression of stroke status, but the association between D-dimer and functional outcome is unclear. The aim of this study is to investigate whether Plasma D-dimer level is a determinant of short-term poor functional outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Methods This prospective study included 877 patients with AIS provided plasma D-dimer level after stroke onset. Patients were categorized per D-dimer level: Quartile 1(≤0.24 mg /L), Quartile 2 (0.25–0.56 mg /L), Quartile 3 (0.57–1.78 mg /L), and Quartile 4 (>1.78mg /L). Each patient’s medical record was reviewed, and demographic, clinical, laboratory and neuroimaging information was abstracted. Functional outcome at 90 days was assessed with the modified Rankin Scale (mRS). Results Of 877 patients were included (mean age, 64 years; male, 68.5%), poor outcome was present in 302 (34.4%) patients. After adjustment for potential confounding variables, higher D-dimer level on admission was associated with poor outcome (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.257, 95% CI1.349-3.777 for Q4:Q1; P trend = 0.004). According to receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, the best discriminating factor was a D-dimer level ≥0.315 mg/L for pour outcome [area under the ROC curve (AUC) 0.657; sensitivity 83.8%; specificity 41.4%]. Conclusion Elevated plasma D-dimer level on admission was significantly associated with increased poor outcome after admission for AIS, suggesting the potential role of D-dimer as a predictive marker for short-term poor outcomes in patients with AIS.