Plasma D-dimer as a marker for postoperative deep venous thrombosis. A study after total hip or knee arthroplasty.
Plasma levels of D-dimer have been found useful as a marker of deep venous thrombosis in those patients in whom thrombosis is suspected, but their usefulness in postoperative screening is less clear. We have investigated the relationship of D-dimer to deep venous thrombosis in 90 patients after total hip and knee arthroplasty. From the first postoperative day the D-dimer levels were found to be highly significantly raised in patients with deep venous thrombosis. A combined result over the first six postoperative days in excess of 1200 ng/ml correlated with thrombosis with a specificity of 100%, sensitivity of 45%, positive predictive value of 60%, and negative predictive value of 100%. However, individual estimations were not discriminatory.
Dunn
I D
ID
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Glenfield General Hospital, Leicester, UK.
Hui
A C
AC
Triffitt
P D
PD
Crozier
A E
AE
Gregg
P J
PJ
Sinclair
M E
ME
Armstrong
A L
AL
Mitchell
V E
VE
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products / Q000032:analysis*; D006622:Hip Prosthesis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D007720:Knee Prosthesis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000097:blood*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013924:Thrombophlebitis / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology
D015415:Biomarkers; D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products; C036309:fibrin fragment D