Background: This study aimed to evaluate the levels of hs-CRP and serum bilirubin in patients diagnosed with VTE and to investigate their association with clinical presentation and demographic factors.
Methods: This cross-sectional study consisted of 40 patients admitted to two tertiary care hospitals in Mashhad, Iran, with confirmed VTE (either DVT or PTE) between 2021 and 2022 were evaluated. Laboratory data, including hs-CRP, total bilirubin, and direct bilirubin, were extracted from medical records. Comparative analysis was performed between DVT and PTE groups, as well as across gender and age categories.
Results: Among the participants, 25 (62.5%) were female, and the mean age was 61.82 ± 17.12 years. Median hs-CRP levels were 26 mg/L (IQR: 10.27-71.10) in DVT patients and 18 mg/L (IQR: 7-74) in PTE patients, with 80% and 70% of patients in these groups, respectively, exceeding the 10 mg/L clinical threshold for systemic inflammation. Patients with PTE were significantly older than those with DVT (p = 0.03). However, no statistically significant differences were found in hs-CRP or bilirubin levels between DVT and PTE patients, nor between genders.
Conclusion: Although hs-CRP levels were elevated among VTE patients, their utility in differentiating between DVT and PTE was limited. Serum bilirubin levels did not significantly vary across subgroups. These findings indicate that elevated hs-CRP is a consistent feature of VTE presentations irrespective of subtype, while neither biomarker reliably differentiates between DVT and PTE. These results are descriptive and hypothesis-generating, and underscore the need for larger controlled prospective studies.