D-dimer as a predictor of venous thromboembolism in acutely ill, hospitalized patients: a subanalysis of the randomized controlled MAGELLAN trial.

Cohen, A T; Spiro, T E; Spyropoulos, A C; Desanctis, Y H; Homering, M; Büller, H R; Haskell, L; Hu, D; Hull, R; Mebazaa, A; Merli, G; Schellong, S; Tapson, V F; Burton, P

BACKGROUND D-dimer concentrations have not been evaluated extensively as a predictor of increased venous thromboembolism (VTE) risk in acutely ill, hospitalized medical patients. OBJECTIVES To analyze the relationships between D-dimer concentration, VTE and bleeding in the MAGELLAN trial (NCT00571649). PATIENTS/METHODS This was a multicenter, randomized, controlled trial. Patients aged ≥ 40 years, hospitalized for acute medical illnesses with risk factors for VTE received subcutaneous enoxaparin 40 mg once daily for 10 ± 4 days then placebo up to day 35, or oral rivaroxaban 10 mg once daily for 35 ± 4 days. Patients (n = 7581) were grouped by baseline D-dimer ≤ 2 × or > 2 × the upper limit of normal. VTE and major plus non-major clinically relevant bleeding were recorded at day 10, day 35, and between days 11 and 35. RESULTS The frequency of VTE was 3.5-fold greater in patients with high D-dimer concentrations. Multivariate analysis showed that D-dimer was an independent predictor of the risk of VTE (odds ratio 2.29 [95% confidence interval 1.75-2.98]), and had a similar association to established risk factors for VTE, for example cancer and advanced age. In the high D-dimer group, rivaroxaban was non-inferior to enoxaparin at day 10 and, unlike the low D-dimer group, superior to placebo at day 35 (P < 0.001) and days 11-35 (P < 0.001). In both groups, bleeding outcomes favored enoxaparin/placebo. CONCLUSIONS Elevated baseline D-dimer concentrations may identify acutely ill, hospitalized medical patients at high risk of VTE for whom extended anticoagulant prophylaxis may provide greater benefit than for those with low D-dimer concentrations.