The application of a rapid D-dimer test in suspected pulmonary embolus.
A prospective, consecutive series of plasma D-dimer (D-D) using a rapid, sensitive, and semiquantitative latex agglutination test from 169 patients clinically suspected of having acute pulmonary embolus (PE) was performed to determine its clinical utility in acute PE. All patients had ventilation/perfusion (V/Q) scans and 20 patients (12%) subsequently had pulmonary arteriography (PAG). The 20 patients who subsequently had PAG were used to establish the predictive value(s). In 10 patients with normal D-D results, none had PE according to PAG. In 10 patients with abnormal D-D results, seven showed PE by PAG and three did not show PE by PAG. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive values, and negative predictive values of the plasma D-D tests for acute PE based on PAG were 1.00, 0.77, 0.70, and 1.00, respectively. In nine patients with indeterminate V/Q scans who had PAG, four had PE and the D-D result was abnormal. Five of these patients did not have PE and the D-D result was abnormal in three and normal in two. Seventeen patients had high-probability V/Q scans, all of whom had abnormal D-D results. Only one had PAG that showed PE in this group. A normal D-D result using a rapid latex agglutination method can effectively exclude the diagnosis of acute PE. The negative predictive value of the rapid latex agglutination method is as good as the more cumbersome enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay methods. An abnormal result is nonspecific and is not useful in the diagnosis of acute PE. While some "false positives" did occur, there were no false-negative results. The best use of the D-D test is in the examination of the patient with indeterminate V/Q studies. We conclude that the D-D test can rapidly provide information in determining whether a patient needs further angiographic studies.
Pappas
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AA
Department of Pathology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock 72205-7199.
Dalrymple
G
G
Harrison
K
K
Purnell
G
G
Canton
M
M
Palmer
S
S
Fink
L M
LM
D001780:Blood Coagulation Tests; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007841:Latex Fixation Tests; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000097:blood*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products; C036309:fibrin fragment D