Asa Oxner of USF found that D-dimer tests are helpful in excluding pulmonary embolisms in patients hospitalized with COVID-19. D-dimer is a blood test that measures protein fragments of blood clots in the bloodstream.

“Our study found that clinicians can feel confident interpreting the D-dimer levels the same in COVID patients as they do in every other patient; we don’t need a special (different) value for COVID patients,” said Oxner. “So, in hospitalized COVID patients, we can appropriately rule out a pulmonary embolism if d-dimer levels are low.”

• Asa Oxner