title: Prognostic value of D-dimer in stable patients with pulmonary embolism.
abstract: Prognosis of pulmonary embolism (PE) based on levels of D-dimer has shown mixed results, and data on in-hospital prognosis of stable patients are sparse. We assessed in-hospital prognosis in 292 stable patients with PE based on retrospective chart review using an arbitrarily selected value of D-dimer ≥5000 ng/mL as cut-off level. In-hospital mortality from PE was 0% (0 of 222) with D-dimer <5000 ng/mL compared with 2.9% (2 of 70) with D-dimer ≥5000 ng/mL (P = .06). In-hospital all-cause mortality was 2.3% (5 of 222) with D-dimer <5000 ng/mL compared with 2.9% (2 of 70) with D-dimer ≥5000 ng/mL (NS). Markedly elevated levels of D-dimer, therefore, did not indicate a high mortality from PE or all-cause mortality during hospitalization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA. steinp@trinity-health.org
authors.forename: Paul D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Stein
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Janjua
authors.forename: Fadi
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Matta
authors.forename: Ahmed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alrifai
authors.forename: Fadel
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Jaweesh
authors.forename: Haroon L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Chughtai
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products / Q000378:metabolism*; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000097:blood* / Q000401:mortality; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products; C036309:fibrin fragment D