Emergency department D-dimer testing.
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.
Sadosty
A T
AT
Department of Emergency Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA.
Goyal
D G
DG
Boie
E T
ET
Chiu
C K
CK
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*
D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products; C036309:fibrin fragment D