Introduction:

D-dimer is a marker of thrombin and plasmin generation. It is the final product of the degradation of a fibrin-rich thrombus mediated by the sequential action of three enzymes: thrombin, factor XIIIa and plasmin. The tests currently available for D-dimer diagnosis are varied and not uniform.

Objective:

Analyze the evidence available about the usefulness of a number of D-dimer rapid tests.

Methods:

A review was conducted of the literature published in English and Spanish in the last ten years, using search engines such as Google Scholar and PubMed, which allowed access to papers about the topic in peer-reviewed journals. Data about the possible uses of D-dimer were grouped and organized.

Discussion:

Laboratory D-dimer determination is a rapid and simple test that has occupied a definite place in the exclusion algorithms for venous thromboembolic disease, the diagnosis of disseminated intravascular coagulation, and the prediction of deep venous thrombosis recurrence in recent years. A number of assays are available to determine D-dimer plasma concentration. These are based on different methodologies, antibodies and sensitivity values.

Conclusions:

D-dimer determination by quantitative methods is very important in patients with thrombotic disorders to determine their sensitivity and substantiate the development of the diagnostic algorithm for the aforementioned conditions.

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