title: D-dimer concentration outliers are not rare in at-term pregnant women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the D-dimer levels in pregnant women at term and the differences between pregnant women with different D-dimer levels.
  
  
  METHODS
  The plasma D-dimer concentrations in pregnant women at term were identified in a cross-sectional study. The clinical indicators that are potentially relevant to D-dimer levels were compared between the pregnant women with different D-dimer levels (i.e., normal, mildly increased, and severely increased).
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were always some D-dimer concentration outliers in the pregnant women at term regardless of the presence or absence of complications, and there were no significant differences in maternal age, gestational age, gravidity, parity, blood count, blood coagulation, or liver function between the pregnant women with different D-dimer levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  D-dimer levels may vary significantly during pregnancy for unknown reasons. This variation, particularly in pregnant women at term, might lead to questionable diagnostic information regarding coagulation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics of the Affiliated ShengJing Hospital of China Medical University, No. 36 Sanhao Street, Heping District, Shenyang, China.
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy in Preclinical Medicine College of China Medical University, No. 92 North Second Road, Heping District, Shenyang, China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics of the Affiliated ShengJing Hospital of China Medical University, No. 36 Sanhao Street, Heping District, Shenyang, China. Electronic address: dujuanjiaoshou@sina.com.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Du
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism*; D001777:Blood Coagulation; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products / Q000378:metabolism*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011379:Prognosis; D012016:Reference Values; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products; C036309:fibrin fragment D
keywords: Blood coagulation tests; Fibrin fragment D; Liver function tests; Pregnancy; Venous thromboembolism