Elevated plasma D-dimer levels are associated with risk of future incident venous thromboembolism

• Published in: Thrombosis research 2021-12, Vol.208, p.121-126
• Main Authors: Hansen, Ellen-Sofie, Rinde, Fridtjof B., Edvardsen, Magnus S., Hindberg, Kristian, Latysheva, Nadezhda, Aukrust, Pål, Ueland, Thor, Michelsen, Annika E., Hansen, John-Bjarne, Brækkan, Sigrid K., Morelli, Vânia M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Case-Control Studies; D-dimer; Deep vein thrombosis; Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products; Humans; Inflammation; Obesity; Venous thromboembolism; Venous Thromboembolism - epidemiology
• ISSN: 0049-3848; 1879-2472; 1879-2472
• DOI: 10.1016/j.thromres.2021.10.020

D-dimer, a global biomarker for activation of the coagulation and fibrinolysis systems, is useful in assessing individual risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) recurrence. However, there is limited information on the association between D-dimer and risk of a first lifetime VTE event. To investigate the association between plasma D-dimer levels and risk of future incident VTE. A population-based nested case-control study, comprising 414 VTE patients and 843 randomly selected age- and sex-matched controls, was derived from the Tromsø Study (1994–2007). D-dimer was measured in plasma samples collected at cohort baseline (1994–95). Odds ratios (ORs) for VTE with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated according to quartile cut-offs of D-dimer levels determined in controls. The risk of VTE increased across quartiles of D-dimer levels (Ptrend = 0.014) in the age- and sex-adjusted model. Participants with plasma D-dimer levels in the highest quartile (≥152 ng/mL) had an OR for VTE of 1.65 (95% CI 1.14–2.40) compared with those in the lowest quartile (