D-dimer testing: the role of the clinical laboratory in the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism.
Pulmonary embolism is a common, yet often unsuspected and unrecognised disease associated with a high mortality. New, objective, "user friendly" and cost effective diagnostic strategies are being explored. D-dimers, the fibrinolytic degradation products of crosslinked fibrin, have emerged as the most useful of the procoagulant activity and ongoing fibrinolysis markers. D-dimer measurements are very sensitive in excluding a diagnosis of pulmonary embolism in the setting of normal values, a low clinical suspicion, and non-diagnostic lung scans. Several assays have been developed and are reviewed.
Mavromatis
B H
BH
Division of Hematology/Oncology, Lombardi Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20007, USA. mavromab@gunet.georgetown.edu
Kessler
C M
CM
D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007841:Latex Fixation Tests / Q000379:methods; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000175:diagnosis
D015415:Biomarkers; D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products; C036309:fibrin fragment D