Publikation

[D-dimer determination in suspected deep venous thrombosis or lung embolism]

Wissenschaftlicher Artikel/Review - 01.09.1999

PubMed

Zitation
Caliezi C, Holtz D, Wuillemin W. [D-dimer determination in suspected deep venous thrombosis or lung embolism]. Ther Umsch 1999; 56:529-32.
Art
Wissenschaftlicher Artikel/Review (Deutsch)
Zeitschrift
Ther Umsch 1999; 56
Veröffentlichungsdatum
01.09.1999
ISSN (Druck)
0040-5930
Seiten
529-32
Kurzbeschreibung/Zielsetzung

Cleavage of crosslinked fibrin by the fibrinolytic enzyme plasmin leads to the formation of fibrin degradation products, among them D-dimers. D-Dimer can easily be measured in plasma or in whole blood by means of monoclonal antibodies directed against epitopes of the D-dimer fragment. Elevated plasma levels of D-dimers are characteristic for patients with venous thromboembolism (DVT, PE), but occur also in patients with infectious diseases, malignant neoplasms and heart failure. Given the high sensitivity of ELISA D-dimer assays with respect to venous thromboembolism it is possible to reliably rule out DVT or PE when the plasma concentration of D-dimer is below the cut-off level. Thus, it is possible to rule out DVT in about 30% of outpatients with suspected venous thromboembolism by the measurement of D-dimer-concentration with a validated assay avoiding further diagnostic procedures.