d-dimer


dimer

 1. a compound formed by combination of two identical simpler molecules.2. a capsomer having two structural subunits.D-dimer a fragment of fibrin that is formed as a result of fibrin degradation. A positive test for its presence in the blood is suggestive of conditions such as thrombotic disease, sickle cell crisis, malignancy, disseminated intravascular coagulation, or recent surgery.

d-dimer

a dimer byproduct resulting from fibrinolysis; produced by cross linkage of d-domain fibrin monomers by activated factor XIII, fibrin stabilizing factor; present in low levels in normal animals, but found at particularly high levels in association with thrombotic and hemostatic disorders; assayed as an adjunctive diagnostic tool in conditions such as malignant neoplasia, infectious disease, immune-mediated hemolytic anemia, immune-mediated thrombocytopenia, hyperadrenocorticism, pulmonary thromboembolism, and disseminated intravascular coagulation or DIC. d-dimer production requires both plasmin and thrombin activation. Note that generation of fibrin/fibrinogen degradation products (FDPs) requires only plasmin action on fibrin or fibrinogen. d-dimers clear through urinary excretion, so assay may show falsely increased levels during renal dysfunction. Laboratory ELISA measurement can identify fibrinolysis.

d-dimer

Hematology A fibrin split product that can be used in a sensitive assay of plasmin activity, which is often ↑ in systemic consumptive coagulopathy, ie DIC. See Disseminated intravascular coagulation, Fibrin split products.

d-dimer

A covalently cross-linked degradation product released from the cross-linked fibrin polymer during plasmin-mediated fibrinolysis. Laboratory measurements of this product are made using latex bead assay, or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay can be used to identify the presence of fibrinolysis; helpful in diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis.

d-dimer

(dī'mer) A covalently cross-linked degradation product released from the cross-linked fibrin polymer during plasmin-mediated fibrinolysis. Laboratory measurements of this product are made using latex bead assay, or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and can be used to identify the presence of fibrinolysis; helpful in diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis.