What is a bad D-dimer result?
A normal or “negative” D-dimer result (D-dimer level is below a predetermined cut-off threshold) means that it is most likely that the person tested does not have an acute condition or disease causing abnormal clot formation and breakdown.
What does slightly elevated D-dimer mean?
An elevated D-dimer level is not normal. It’s usually found after a clot has formed and is in the process of breaking down. If you are having significant formation and breakdown of blood clot in your body, your D-dimer may be elevated. A negative D-dimer test means that a blood clot is highly unlikely.
Is slightly elevated D-dimer serious?
Conclusion: Although D-dimer testing has a reputation for being very non-specific, an extremely elevated D-dimer is uniquely associated with severe disease, mainly including VTE, sepsis and/or cancer.
What can cause a false positive D-dimer?
Specificity is typically between 40% and 60%, leading to a high rate of false-positive results. Several factors, other than PE or deep vein thrombosis (DVT), are associated with positive D-dimer results. Some, such as advanced age, malignancy, and pregnancy, have been described in the medical literature.
What do you need to know about the D dimer test?
Articles On What Is the D-Dimer Test? D-Dimer Blood Test. Doppler Ultrasound for DVT. DVT Treatment. A D-dimer test is a blood test that can be used to help rule out the presence of a serious blood clot. When you get a cut, your body takes a bunch of steps to make your blood clump up.
When does a D-dimer dissolve in the body?
D-dimer is a protein fragment (small piece) that’s made when a blood clot dissolves in your body. Blood clotting is an important process that prevents you from losing too much blood when you are injured. Normally, your body will dissolve the clot once your injury has healed.
When do D-dimer levels go down after covid-19?
More than one-quarter of patients with COVID-19 had elevated D-dimer levels up to 4 months after diagnosis, according to study results published in Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis
When to use D-dimer for pulmonary embolism?
Since D-dimer is a sensitive test but has a poor specificity, it should only be used to rule out deep vein thrombosis (DVT), not to confirm a diagnosis. It should not be used for pulmonary embolism when the clinical probability of that condition is high.
