Elevated level of D-dimer increases the risk of stroke.

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Research
• Clinical Medicine
• Cardiovascular Science

Background:

• D-dimer is a degradation product of fibrin, a key component of blood clots.
• Elevated D-dimer levels can indicate increased thrombotic activity.
• The association between D-dimer and stroke risk requires systematic evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically evaluate the association between D-dimer levels and the risk of stroke using a meta-analysis.
• To quantify the risk of all stroke types, ischemic stroke, and hemorrhagic stroke associated with elevated D-dimer.
• To synthesize evidence from prospective observational and case-control studies.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library.
• Included studies were prospective observational or case-control designs.
• Hazard ratios (HRs) and odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were pooled for meta-analysis.

Main Results:

• Seven prospective studies (22,207 patients) and three case-control studies (2,248 patients) were analyzed.
• Higher D-dimer levels were associated with increased risk of all stroke types (HR 1.55) and ischemic stroke (HR 1.62) in prospective studies.
• Per SD increase in log D-dimer, risk increased for all stroke types (HR 1.16) and ischemic stroke (HR 1.11).
• Case-control studies showed a pooled OR of 2.06 for acute ischemic stroke with higher D-dimer levels.

Conclusions:

• Higher D-dimer levels are significantly associated with an elevated risk of stroke.
• The association is particularly pronounced for ischemic stroke.
• Findings support D-dimer as a potential biomarker for stroke risk stratification.