What does D dimer blood test results mean?
D-dimer Blood Test Results Explained. The D-dimer blood test is ordered to determine if there is the presence of an inappropriate blood clot somewhere in the body. The two most common reasons for this test to be ordered is because a pulmonary embolism is suspected or there are signs and symptoms of a deep vein thrombosis.
What is the optimal result of a D-dimer test?
Optimal Result: 0 – 0.49 mg/L FEU. Also Known As: Fragment D-dimer // Fibrin Degradation Fragment A D-dimer test is most often used to find out whether you have a blood clotting disorder.
Can a D-dimer blood test be undetectable?
It is normally undetectable or detectable at a very low level unless the body is forming and breaking down blood clots. Then, its level in the blood can significantly rise. A D-dimer test is a blood test that can be used to help rule out the presence of a serious blood clot.
Is D-dimer testing useful for diagnosing sepsis?
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 causes high D dimer levels in blood?
Also, high D-Dimer levels are not always caused by clotting problems. Other conditions that can cause high D-Dimer levels include pregnancy, heart disease, and recent surgery. If your D-Dimer results were not normal, your provider will probably order more tests to make a diagnosis.
What is the sensitivity of the D-dimer test?
The D-dimer test has a high sensitivity but low specificity. It may be increased in association with the following: Venous thromboembolic diseases are common complications in patients with cancer. Therefore, it is important to keep in mind that false-negative D-dimer results more commonly occur in this patient population.
What is a low D dimer cut-off value?
In these algorithms, low D- dimer cut-off values are used to generate a dichotomous test result that is sensitive, but very non-specific for VTE. A consequence of any test dichotomisation is loss of information that is hidden in the continuous spectrum of results.