Abstract P226: D-Dimer Levels and Risk of Stroke: Findings from the EPICOR Study
Jump to

Abstract
Background: Elevated D-dimer levels are reportedly associated with higher risk of vascular diseases. We investigated the association of baseline D-dimer levels with stroke events occurred in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition-Italy cohort.
Methods: Using a nested case-cohort design, a center-stratified random sample of 832 subjects (66% women, age range 35 to 71) was selected as subcohort and compared with 289 strokes in a mean follow-up of 9 years. D-dimer was measured on fresh citrated plasma by an automated latex-enhanced immunoassay (HemosIL-IL, Milan). The hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals, adjusted by relevant confounders and stratified by center, were estimated by a Cox regression model using Prentice method.
Results: Individuals in the second, third or fourth quartile compared with the lowest quartile of D-dimer had significantly higher risk of stroke (Table). The association was independent from several potential confounders, including C-Reactive protein (Table). It was evident starting from the second quartile (D-dimer >100 ng/ml) and persisted almost unchanged for higher D-dimer levels (Table). No differences were observed in men and women. The increase in risk was essentially the same both for ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes (Table).
Conclusions: Our data provide a clear evidence that elevated levels of D-dimer are potential risk factors for ischemic or hemorrhagic strokes.

Author Disclosures: A. Di Castelnuovo: None. C. Agnoli: None. A. de Curtis: None. M. Giurdanella: None. S. Grioni: None. A. Mattiello: None. G. Matullo: None. S. Panico: None. C. Sacerdote: None. R. Tumino: None. G. de Gaetano: None. M. Donati: None. L. Iacoviello: None.
- © 2014 by American Heart Association, Inc.
This Issue
Jump to
Article Tools
- Abstract P226: D-Dimer Levels and Risk of Stroke: Findings from the EPICOR StudyAugusto Di Castelnuovo, Claudia Agnoli, Amalia de Curtis, Maria Concetta Giurdanella, Sara Grioni, Amalia Mattiello, Giuseppe Matullo, Salvatore Panico, Carlotta Sacerdote, Rosario Tumino, Giovanni de Gaetano, Maria Benedetta Donati and Licia IacovielloCirculation. 2014;129:AP226, originally published March 19, 2014
Citation Manager Formats
Share this Article
- Abstract P226: D-Dimer Levels and Risk of Stroke: Findings from the EPICOR StudyAugusto Di Castelnuovo, Claudia Agnoli, Amalia de Curtis, Maria Concetta Giurdanella, Sara Grioni, Amalia Mattiello, Giuseppe Matullo, Salvatore Panico, Carlotta Sacerdote, Rosario Tumino, Giovanni de Gaetano, Maria Benedetta Donati and Licia IacovielloCirculation. 2014;129:AP226, originally published March 19, 2014