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Semin Respir Crit Care Med 2000; 21(6): 505-522
DOI: 10.1055/s-2000-13186
Copyright © 2000 by Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc., 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA. Tel.: +1(212) 584-4662

The Role of the D-Dimer in the Diagnosis of Venous Thromboembolism

Gregory S. Ahearn1 , Henri Bounameaux2
  • 1Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
  • 2Division of Angiology and Hemostasis, Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
31 December 2000 (online)

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ABSTRACT

Classic enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) D-dimer assays are sensitive in screening for thromboembolic disease; however, they are cumbersome and time consuming to perform, which limits their routine use. Latex agglutination assays are easier to perform, but they are not as sensitive as the ELISA assays. New D-dimer assays incorporating novel technologies can be performed rapidly with a sensitivity approaching that of classic ELISA assays. D-dimer assays are uniformly sensitive in detecting thromboembolic disease in different patient populations; however, low specificity limits the clinical utility of D-dimer measurements in medical inpatients and postoperative patients. Increasingly, these measurements are being incorporated into diagnostic algorithms for venous thromboembolism and are reducing the need for invasive diagnostic studies.

KEYWORD

D-dimer - enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay - deep venous thrombosis - pulmonary embolism - thromboembolism

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