Abstract
Background : Evidence suggests that patients afflicted with
COVID-19 are subject to significant risks of thromboembolic
complications. We aimed to evaluate the occurrence of coagulation
disorders in patients suffering from COVID-19 and determine its
relationship with the disease outcome.
Methods : This cross-sectional study was conducted on 106
COVID-19 patients who were hospitalized in Imam Khomeini Hospital,
Ardabil, Iran. After the preliminary completion of the information
forms, 3 cc of intravenous blood sample was taken from each of the
patients to check the patients’ INR, PT, CBC, and D-dimer. The patients
were monitored. Finally, the results obtained from these clinical
assessments and tests were all recorded in checklists and statistically
analyzed using SPSS Software, Version 19.
Results : Of the total 106 COVID-19 patients who entered the
study, 69 cases were discharged from the hospital alive while the other
37 cases died. The mean age of the patients was 58.99±15.94 years and
56.6% of them were male. There were significant differences between the
survived and the deceased patients in terms of D-dimer, LDH, PT, and INR
levels (p<0.05). Based on the results of logistic regression
analysis, only D-dimer was found to have a significant effect on
predicting mortality. More specifically, with the increase of each 1
unit in D-dimer level, the mortality risk increased by 0.99%.
Conclusion : D-dimer has a higher sensitivity in comparison with
other markers of coagulation and is of relatively greater value in terms
of intensity. Compared to the high prevalence of thrombotic events,
bleeding is not that common; therefore, standard anticoagulant therapy
is highly recommended.
Keywords : COVID-19, coagulation disorders, outcome,
thrombocytopenia