The Effect of D- Dimer in Predicting Prognosis Among Ischemic Stroke Patients in Aseer Region, Saudi Arabia, A Clinico-Epidemiologic study.

Abstract Background: Stroke is a major Cerebro-vascular disease resulting in high mortality and persistent disability in adults across the world, WHO reported in 2012 that stroke was the second leading cause of death in KSA. Objectives: To assess neurological changes among Cerebro-vascular Accident (CVA) patients at the same time as D-dimer being measured and to test the predictive capacity of D-dimer to detect clinical improvement and correlate it with National Institute of health Stroke Scale (NIHSS). Subjects and methods: A Prospective longitudinal then comparative case control study based on NIHSS was carried out. All CVA patients admitted to AFHSR in a Period of three months from January 1st till April 1st 2016 was included in the study, every patient was evaluated according to NIHSS at the 10th day of admission, D-dimer was measured and every patient was followed for three months then evaluated to either improved or not. Results: D-dimer showed to be significant (p=0.02) after three months follow up which means that D-dimer level can predict whether the cases of ischemic CVA can improve or not. Conclusion: D-dimer can play a role in predicting prognosis among ischemic CVA patients.