D-dimer and CRP examinations are carried out to detect infections and blood clotting problems that are often experienced by COVID-19 patients. That way, doctors can immediately take steps to treat it early to prevent the condition from worsening.
Corona virus infection can affect various cells and tissues of the body, including the blood. Well, D-dimer and CRP examinations in COVID-19 patients were carried out to determine the increase in protein levels in the blood.
Measurement of protein levels can be used as a parameter to determine whether there are clots or blood clots and detect infection or inflammation in the body.
D-dimer test
D-dimer examination is performed to detect the presence of D-dimer protein in the blood. This protein functions to break down blood clots in blood vessels.
Under normal conditions, the D-dimer will not be detected. If detected, it means that there is a blood clot in the body, although the specific location is not known. The amount of D-dimer that is commonly used as a benchmark for detecting the presence of a blood clot is 500 nanograms per milliliter of blood or more.
In patients with COVID-19, the amount of protein D-dimer can increase significantly. This is thought to be caused by a cytokine storm that triggers an imbalance between the formation and breakdown of blood clots.
The higher the number of D-dimers in the blood, the greater the risk of COVID-19 patients experiencing blood clots or clots. This condition can cause various health problems, such as deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, or stroke.
CRP Check
If the D-dimer examination is carried out to detect D-dimer protein, the CRP examination is aimed at determining the CRP protein level (C-Reactive Protein) in the blood. This test is done to detect inflammation in the body or determine the severity of certain chronic conditions.
Under normal conditions, the amount of CRP protein in the blood is less than 10 milligrams per liter of blood. However, in patients with COVID-19, the amount of CRP can increase beyond the normal limit, even reaching 86%.
CRP levels will rise rapidly 6–8 hours after the first symptoms appear and will peak within 48 hours. CRP levels will drop when the inflammation is over and the patient is declared cured.
Just like the increase in D-dimer, the increase in CRP in the blood of COVID-19 sufferers is also thought to be caused by a cytokine storm. In addition, increased CRP protein is also believed to be associated with tissue damage.
Increased levels of CRP protein in COVID-19 patients can cause decreased oxygen saturation, deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, acute kidney injury, and even death.
If you are tested positive for COVID-19, have moderate or severe symptoms, and are undergoing self-isolation, either at home or in an isolation center, it is better if you do regular D-dimer and CRP checks with your doctor to detect infection or blood clots early on. .
You can also consult a doctor through the ALODOKTER chat application to get information about the COVID-19 examination and treatment that you can do.