D-dimer levels in etiological diagnosis of ischemic stroke and relationship the prognosis -

Background: Objective-Ischemic stroke is a disease with a variety of etiological factors. D-dimer (DD) is one of markers established in the etiological diagnosis of stroke. In this study, differential diagnosis of the subgroups of stroke and the relationship between the severity of stroke and the prognosis is investigated in association with the DD levels. Material and Metod: In this study, the patients who had a stroke and applied to the Clinic of Neurology at Şisli Etfal Education and Resarch Hospital in 24 hours has been included prospectively. All patients’ plasma D-dimer levels has been measured for two times firstly in 24 hours and the second between 8.-10. days. The etiological subgroups were determined according to TOAST criterias. The stroke severity has been evaluated in acute periode by National Insitutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), the prognosis has been evaluated subsequent periode by Modifiye Rankin scala (mRS) and Barthell scala. Results: In this study 40 patients with stroke including 15 women and 20 healthy control patients including 12 women were included. In our study, the level of DD in ischemic stroke patients in the early period is found to be higher compared with the healthy controls(p=0,018 p=0,019). But DD levels are not significantly higher in the atrial fibrillation and cardioembolic stroke patients compared with the other groups (p=0,490 p=0,251 and p=0,333 p=0,519). When the relationship between the severity of the stroke and the prognosis is investigated, high DD levels are found to be associated with disabilities. Conclusion: DD is an applicable biomarker in the early period of ischemic stroke. Although there are many factors that affect the level of DD, DD levels may be an indicator of progressive stroke and can provide information about prognosis seems to be able to say.