Jatin Mahajan, Managing Director, J Mitra & Co highlights the correlation between D-Dimer and COVID-19
During the corona pandemic, as part of the post-confirmation protocol, the D-Dimer test is regularly administered. So, what is the correlation between D-Dimer and COVID-19?
To understand the correlation, we must first understand what does the D-Dimer test does. The D-Dimer test checks the blood sample for the presence of substantial blood clots within the human body.
Blood clotting is another symptom associated with acute corona infection. Blood clotting is a natural body mechanism that prevents us from losing too much blood during an injury, internal or external. Typically, our body’s natural defense mechanism dissolves the blood clot once the wound has healed.
COVID-19 can cause serious inflammation within the body in severe corona infection, leading to blood clotting. The body’s autoimmune system gets into action mode to counter the blood clotting. But, this condition of blood clotting can be severe and even life-threatening since the infection in the body is widespread, leading to clotting that remains unaddressed. This clotting may lead to strokes, heart attacks, and pulmonary embolism. It is also dangerous because blood clots can restrict the free flow of blood within the blood vessels. The combined aspect of blood clotting, immobility, or highly restricted patient movement, makes the situation further alarming and complicated.
The D-dimer test helps to gauge the patient’s progression to COVID-19 related cytokine storm. In addition, the test helps trigger timely medical intervention to reduce severe complications and fatality. D-dimer is a protein fragment (small piece) formed during blood clot dissolution in the body. When the healing is complete, the natural body mechanism breaks down the fibrin, creating fibrin degradation products or FDPs. D-Dimer is one of the FDPs.
Excessive blood clotting in COVID-19 positive patients leads to several complications like
- Heart Attack: Blood clot may result in blocking of the arteries, resulting in heart attack and other heart conditions, including permanent damage to the heart
- Stroke: A blood clot that travels to the brain, leading to a stroke with severe complications
- Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT): Formation of a blood clot in one of the deep veins in the leg or the pelvis results in fatalities with a month of being diagnosed. Generally results in severe pain, swelling, or redness in the leg
- Pulmonary Embolism (PE): A clot that travels to the lungs results in Pulmonary Embolism. It can be fatal and thus requires immediate attention. Indications are slow breathing and breathlessness, chest pain, and a rapid heart rate
- Kidney Damage: Blood clots in the kidney may block the tiny blood vessels, resulting in decreased kidney function. The damage could be so severe that it may require dialysis treatment.
Factors in COVID-19 positive patients that compound blood clotting includes old age, excessive weight, hypertension, diabetes, heart conditions, medications that cause blood thickness, inactivity, recent surgery, smoking, or a family history of DVT and PE.
Thirty-one percent of critical ICU patients experienced complications related to blood clots, as per research by the US medical research agency National Institute of Health (NIH).
Lancet has also conducted a study on the subject. As per their study, in patients hospitalised with COVID-19, the platelets were found to be hyperactive, with increased activation and aggregation (clumping). Thus, the COVID-19 virus appears to cause increased activation in body cells responsible for starting the blood clotting process.
D-dimer tests are conducted when patients showcase symptoms of clotting, such as:
- Swelling, pain, and changes in skin color
- Faster heartbeat, acute chest pain, breathing issues, or blood in cough
- Bleeding gums, Nausea and vomiting, severe stomach pain, muscle pain, seizures, and decreased urine
J Mitra has various tests to cater to the diagnostics needs of potentially COVID-19 positive patients. J Mitra also has the D-Dimer Microlisa test kit for the in-vitro quantitative determination of D-Dimer in human plasma. J Mitra’s D-Dimer test is based on the Sandwich ELISA principle. The test has an accuracy of more than 99.5 %. The D-Dimer test is part of the J Mitra initiative to fight against the pandemic.
- Advertisement -