The role of preoperative D-dimer blood level in assessing the risk of open abdominal aortic surgery (statistical study)

Introduction. Changes in the hemostasis and fibrinolysis system in patients with aortoiliac segment lesion can cause the development of specific thromboembolic and hemorrhagic complications, accompanied by a high level of mortality. Preoperative laboratory analysis of the D-dimer blood level may help to objectify the risk assessment of open surgery in this category of patients. Objective. Assessment of the significance of preoperative blood D-dimer level in predicting the development of morbidity and mortality after open surgery on the aortoiliac segment. Materials and methods. The study included 108 patients who were determined the D-dimer blood level before planned reconstructive intervention on the aortoiliac segment at the Pavlov University from 2013 to 2021. The first group consisted of 56 patients with aneurysmal aortoiliac segment lesions, and the second group included 52 patients with occlusive-stenotic lesions of the aortoiliac segment. Results. 92 (85%) patients had an increase of D-dimer level above 500 μg/L, among them 18 patients developed early postoperative complications, and 4 cases were fatal. In 16 (15%) patients with normal D-dimer levels, the postoperative the period was uneventful. Both groups showed statistically significant differences in preoperative blood D-dimer levels depending on the presence or absence of early postoperative complications. In the first group, the median of D-dimer level in the smooth course of the postoperative period was 2035 μg/L, and in patients with complicated course – 3770 μg/L (p=0.04), in the second group these indicators were 635 μg/L and 1231.5 μg/L (p=0.02), respectively. The threshold value of D-dimer level in predicting the risk of death in the first group was 4150 μg/L (p=0.001). Conclusion. The blood D-dimer level may be an additional laboratory risk factor for adverse outcome of open surgery in patients with aortoiliac occlusive disease.

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