title: D-dimer concentrations in healthy dogs and dogs with disseminated intravascular coagulation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine sensitivity and specificity of assays of D-dimer concentrations in dogs with disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) and healthy dogs and to compare these results with those of serum and plasma fibrin-fibrinogen degradation product (FDP) assays.
  
  
  METHODS
  20 dogs with DIC and 30 healthy dogs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Semi-quantitative and quantitative D-dimer concentrations were determined by use of latex-agglutination and immunoturbidometry, respectively. Fibrin-fibrinogen degradation products were measured by use of latex-agglutination. A reference range for the immunoturbidometric D-dimer concentration assay was established; sensitivity and specificity of the assay were determined at 2 cutoff concentrations (0.30 microg/ml and 0.39 microg/ml).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Reference range for the immunoturbidometric D-dimer concentration assay was 0.08 to 0.39 microg/ml; median concentrations were significantly higher in dogs with DIC than in healthy dogs. Latex-agglutination D-dimer and serum and plasma FDP assays had similar sensitivity (85 to 100%) and specificity (90 to 100%); the immunoturbidometric assay had lower specificity (77%) at the 0.30 microg/ml cutoff and lower sensitivity (65%) at the 0.39 microg/ml cutoff. Sensitivity or specificity of the latex-agglutination D-dimer assay was not significantly improved when interpreted in series or parallel with FDP assays.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Measurement of D-dimer concentrations by latex-agglutination appears to be a sensitive and specific ancillary test for DIC in dogs. Specificity of D-dimer concentrations in dogs with systemic disease other than DIC has not been determined, therefore FDP and D-dimer assays should be performed concurrently as supportive tests for the diagnosis of DIC in dogs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Stokol
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Brooks
authors.forename: H N
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Erb
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Mauldin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004211:Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation / Q000097:blood / Q000662:veterinary*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000097:blood*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products / Q000032:analysis*; D007841:Latex Fixation Tests / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D009391:Nephelometry and Turbidimetry / Q000662:veterinary; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products; C036309:fibrin fragment D