D-DIMER AND BURN

Objectives: D-dimer is increasingly becoming an important auxiliary marker in guiding diagnosis and treatment in various fields of medicine. Moreover lastly, D-dimer has become one of the most common tests during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this study, we aimed to investigate the value of D-dimer in predicting the prognosis and surgery in burn patients. Methods: A total of 136 burn patients hospitalized in our center were retrospectively analyzed. All patients were treated in the inpatient setting and had complete clinical and laboratory test results. Data including demographic, clinical, and laboratory data, length of stay( LOS) in the hospital, and surgeries were recorded. Plasma D- dimer levels were analyzed using an automatic analyzer. The D-dimer levels were analyzed according to two ranges: 0-0.5 mu g/mL FEU and >0.5 mu g/mL FEU. Results: Of a total of 136 patients (median age: 37, interquartile range: 45.75), 32.4% (n=44) were females and 67.6% (n=92) were males. The median burn percentage and length of hospital stay were higher in patients with D- dimer level> 0.5ug/ mL FEU (p=0.007, p<0.001). The number of patients with a D-dimer level of >0.5 mu g/ mL FEU (high range) was significantly higher in the grafted group( p=0.043). Conclusion: The D-dimer test can be a valuable criterion in deciding on graft surgery and predicting the prognosis of burn patients.