title: Analysis of plasma D-dimer concentration in patients with delayed pressure urticaria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Activation of fibrinolysis system has been observed in spontaneous urticaria.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the haemostatic activation in DPU, expressed by plasma D-dimer concentration, the index of active fibrinolysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Plasma D-dimer concentrations were measured in eight patients with pure DPU of varying severity as well as in 30 healthy subjects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The analysis of individual results indicated that three patients of the eight show d-dimer concentration higher than the upper limit of the normal range. All the patients had severe DPU and manifested extensive lesions. The remaining five milder cases showed values within the normal range.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our analysis revealed that DPU patients may differ in their haemostatic activation state depending on severity of the disease. In severe DPU cases hyperfibrinolysis may occur, manifested by elevated plasma d-dimer concentration, probably as a consequence of the systemic inflammatory response.
authors.affiliation: Chair and Clinical Department of Internal Diseases, Allergology and Clinical Immunology, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland. kasperska@plusnet.pl
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kasperska-Zając
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jasinska
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products / Q000378:metabolism*; D005342:Fibrinolysis / Q000502:physiology; D006487:Hemostasis / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014581:Urticaria / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products; C036309:fibrin fragment D