Table 1.
Baseline characteristics of moderately ill patients with covid-19 admitted to hospital wards, according to treatment assignment. Values are numbers (percentages) unless stated otherwise
| Characteristics | Therapeutic heparin (n=228) | Prophylactic heparin (n=237) |
|---|---|---|
| Mean (SD) age (years) | 60.4 (14.1) | 59.6 (15.5) |
| Women | 105 (46.1) | 96 (40.5) |
| Men | 123 (53.9) | 141 (59.5) |
| Race or ethnicity*: | ||
| White | ||
| European | 97 (43.7) | 96 (40.9) |
| Middle Eastern, North African | 65 (29.3) | 67 (28.5) |
| Asian | 27 (12.2) | 38 (16.2) |
| Black or African American | 18 (8.1) | 23 (9.8) |
| Hispanic or Latino | 14 (6.3) | 10 (4.3) |
| American Indian, Alaska Native, First Nations, Indigenous/Aboriginal, Metis | 0 (0.0) | 1 (0.4) |
| Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander | 1 (0.5) | 0 (0.0) |
| Mean (SD) body mass index† | 30.3 (6.4) | 30.2 (7.0) |
| Mean (SD) duration of symptoms before hospital admission (days)‡ | 7.1 (5.1) | 7.1 (5.2) |
| Mean (SD) duration of hospital admission before randomisation (days) | 1.5 (1.1) | 1.4 (1.0) |
| Hypoxaemia at baseline§ | 190 (90.9) | 203 (93.1) |
| High flow nasal cannula oxygen use | 14 (6.2) | 13 (5.5) |
| Pre-existing conditions: | ||
| Hypertension | 108 (47.4) | 117 (49.4) |
| Diabetes mellitus | 83 (36.4) | 77 (32.5) |
| Coronary artery disease | 16 (7.0) | 18 (7.6) |
| Heart failure | 9 (3.9) | 6 (2.5) |
| Atrial fibrillation | 0 (0.0) | 2 (0.8) |
| Cerebrovascular disease | 10 (4.4) | 9 (3.8) |
| Peripheral vascular disease | 0 (0.0) | 1 (0.4) |
| History of venous thromboembolism | 3 (1.3) | 2 (0.8) |
| Chronic pulmonary disease¶ | 36 (15.8) | 27 (11.4) |
| Chronic kidney disease | 20 (8.8) | 13 (5.5) |
| Chronic liver disease | 5 (2.2) | 9 (3.8) |
| Cancer | 13 (5.7) | 19 (8.0) |
| Immunodeficiency | 1 (0.4) | 2 (0.8) |
| Autoimmune disease | 6 (2.6) | 11 (4.6) |
| Cognitive impairment | 12 (5.3) | 11 (4.6) |
| Mental illness | 18 (7.9) | 13 (5.5) |
| Active smoking | 5 (2.2) | 7 (3.0) |
| Drug history**: | ||
| Systemic corticosteroids | 161 (70.6) | 162 (68.4) |
| Antiplatelet agent | 24 (10.5) | 29 (12.2) |
| Previous covid-19 vaccine | 1 (0.4) | 2 (0.8) |
| Laboratory values: | ||
| D-dimer | ||
| D-dimer positivity†† | 222 (97.4) | 232 (97.9) |
| Geometric mean (SD) D-dimer ratio (D-dimer×ULN)‡‡ | 2.1 (0.7) | 2.5 (0.9) |
| D-dimer distribution: | ||
| <2×ULN | 115 (50.4) | 112 (47.3) |
| ≥2-3×ULN | 61 (26.8) | 55 (23.2) |
| ≥3-4×ULN | 25 (11.0) | 27 (11.4) |
| ≥4×ULN | 27 (11.8) | 43 (18.1) |
| Mean (SD) platelet count (109/L)§§ | 233.7 (95.7) | 237.8 (95.3) |
| Mean (SD) creatinine (μmol/L)¶¶ | 84.6 (44.1) | 85.9 (58.2) |
| Country: | ||
| Brazil | 54 (23.7) | 51 (21.5) |
| Canada | 72 (31.6) | 78 (32.9) |
| Ireland | 11 (4.8) | 12 (5.1) |
| Saudi Arabia | 71 (31.1) | 76 (32.1) |
| United Arab Emirates | 7 (3.1) | 6 (2.5) |
| USA | 13 (5.7) | 14 (5.9) |
| Enrolled in another covid-19 trial | 29 (12.7) | 31 (13.1) |
BMI=body mass index; SD=standard deviation; ULN=upper limit of normal.
Data were missing for six patients in the therapeutic heparin group and two in the prophylactic heparin group.
Data were missing for six participants in the therapeutic heparin group and four in the prophylactic heparin group.
Data were missing for one patient in the therapeutic heparin group and five patients in the prophylactic heparin group.
Hypoxaemia was defined as oxygen saturation <93% on room air. Data were missing for 19 patients in the therapeutic heparin group and 19 in the prophylactic heparin group.
Includes chronic restrictive pulmonary disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and asthma.
No patients were on remdesivir or tocilizumab at baseline.
Six patients in the therapeutic heparin group and five in the prophylactic heparin group had D-dimer levels below the ULN.
SD for the natural logarithm of D-dimer ratios (D-dimer levels×ULN).
Data were missing for 16 patients in the therapeutic heparin group and 24 in the prophylactic heparin group.
Data were missing for 14 patients in the therapeutic heparin group and 23 in the prophylactic heparin group.