title: Emergency department D-dimer testing.
abstract: Since the early 1980s, much attention has been paid to the development of a biochemical marker for venous thromboembolism. D-dimers are derivatives of fibrinolysis and recently have been touted as a means of screening for thromboemoblism. We review the physiologic, pathologic, and chemical bases for this new test, and outline the specific D-dimer assays currently available. We conclude with a discussion of the clinical utility of D-dimer in the evaluation of patients with venous thromboembolism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA.
authors.forename: A T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Sadosty
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Goyal
authors.forename: E T
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Boie
authors.forename: C K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Chiu
mesh_terms: D000372:Agglutination Tests; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007841:Latex Fixation Tests; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000175:diagnosis; D013923:Thromboembolism / Q000175:diagnosis*; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000175:diagnosis*
chemical_list: D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products; C036309:fibrin fragment D