D-Dimer Is Associated With First-Ever Intracerebral Hemorrhage

Background and Purpose— Hypertension is the most important risk factor for intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), but further characterization is needed for groups at high risk of ICH. One way to predict the risk of developing a disease is with plasma biomarkers. This study aimed to investigate the association between the biomarker, D-dimer, and ICH risk. Methods— This population-based, nested case-control study was conducted using data from 2 population-based surveys; the Vasterbotten Intervention Programme and MONICA Northern Sweden (Monitoring Trends and Determinants in Cardiovascular Disease). All participants underwent a health examination and blood sampling at baseline before the event. Cases (n=141) were diagnosed with a first-ever ICH between 1985 and March 2007. One or 2 controls (n=255) were matched to each case. Results— The median age was 60 years; 39% of participants were women; and the median time from blood sampling to ICH was 5.2 years. When D-dimer was evaluated as a continuous variable, it was ...