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D Dimer in acute care

Prachee M Sathe1, Urvil D Patwa1

  • 1Department of Critical Care Medicine, Ruby Hall Clinic, Pune, Maharashtra, India.

International Journal of Critical Illness and Injury Science
|October 23, 2014
PubMed

Insights

D-dimer testing is common in intensive care units but often misinterpreted. Understanding D-dimer levels and their significance is crucial for accurate diagnosis and prognosis in conditions like pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis.

Area of Science:

  • Critical Care Medicine
  • Hematology
  • Diagnostic Testing

Background:

  • Pulmonary embolism, Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT), and Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC) are significant causes of mortality and morbidity in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
  • D-dimer is frequently utilized as an investigation in these critical conditions.
  • Misinterpretation of D-dimer results can lead to diagnostic errors.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To clarify the role and interpretation of D-dimer testing in critical care settings.
  • To review conditions associated with elevated D-dimer levels.
  • To explore the prognostic value of D-dimer in specific conditions such as intracranial hemorrhage and gastrointestinal bleeding.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review focusing on D-dimer testing.
  • Analysis of D-dimer's significance in various clinical conditions.
  • Evaluation of D-dimer's prognostic implications.

Main Results:

  • D-dimer is a sensitive but not specific marker.
  • Elevated D-dimer levels are associated with thrombotic events and other conditions.
  • D-dimer may offer prognostic insights in intracranial hemorrhage and GI bleeds.

Conclusions:

  • Accurate interpretation of D-dimer is essential to avoid diagnostic pitfalls in ICU patients.
  • Understanding the limitations and applications of D-dimer testing improves patient management.
  • Further research into D-dimer's prognostic role is warranted.

Keywords:
D-DimerDeep vein thrombosisDisseminated intravascular coagulationpulmonary embolism

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