title: How D-dimer assay can be useful in deciding the duration of anticoagulation after venous thromboembolism: a review.
abstract: Venous thromboembolism has a relatively strong tendency to recur, especially when the event is unprovoked. In this case, the duration of anticoagulation should not be shorter than 3 months, but it is also suggested to be indefinite. The decision to discontinue or extend indefinitely anticoagulation is not easy. D-dimer assay has a predictive value for individual risk of recurrence and can therefore be used in the decision-making process regarding duration of anticoagulation. This article reviews studies on D-dimer measurement as a predictor of the recurrence risk and analyzes the results of a very recent clinical study (the DULCIS study) that investigated how D-dimer assay can effectively and safely be used to decide the duration of anticoagulation in individual patients after an unprovoked event.
authors.affiliation: University of Bologna, Via Scipione Dal Ferro 14, 40138 Bologna (BO), Italy.
authors.forename: Gualtiero
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Palareti
mesh_terms: D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D012307:Risk Factors; D054556:Venous Thromboembolism / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products; C036309:fibrin fragment D
keywords: D-dimer; anticoagulation; duration of treatment; idiopathic; recurrence; venous thromboembolism