D-Dimer
D-Dimer (DD) is the final degradation product of fibrin by plasmin. Its presence indicates that thrombosis has occurred i.e. activation of clotting, fibrin formation, fibrin stabilization by factor-XIIIa and finally fibrin degradation by plasmin (fibrinolytic system). Increased DD can occur in non-pathologic situations such as age >50y, cigarette smoking, pregnancy, puerperium, immobility and recent surgery. Race and ethnicity also affect the results. Pathologic conditions include:
- Congestive cardiac failure
- Stroke
- Acute coronary syndromes
- Infection
- Liver or renal disease
- Pregnancy, pre-eclampsia
- Peripheral arteriopathy
- DIC
- Hemorrhage
- Arterial and venous thromboembolism
- Thrombolytic agents
- Malignancy
- Trauma
- Burns