Levels of D-dimer, fibrinogen, and fibrinogen degradation product in patients with acute chest pain

Abstract

To determine the relationship among the levels of D-dimer, fibrinogen (FIB), and fibrin degradation products (FDP) in acute fatal chest pain patients. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the patients with aortic dissection (AD), pulmonary embolism (PE) or acute myocardial infarction (AMI) from May 1, 2017 to April 30, 2018. All the patients had a chest and/or back pain. Levels of D-dimer, FIB, and FDP were examined at the time of admission, and the patients were further diagnosed by computed tomography angiography (CTA) or percutaneous transluminal coronary intervention (PCI). The levels and negative rates of D-dimer, FIB, and FDP in patients with AD, PE, and AMI were compared. Results: A total of 234 patients were enrolled, including 95 AD, 98 AMI, and 41 PE. In the AD group, the AMI group and the PE group, the negative ratios of D-dimer were 13.68%, 70.41% and 4.88%, respectively; the negative ratios of FDP were 24.21%, 81.63% and 24.39%, respectively. There was no significant difference in negative rates of D-dimer and FDP between the AD group and the PE group (all P>0.05), but negative rates of D-dimer and FDP were significantly higher in the AMI group than those in the AD group and the PE group (all P<0.001). The level of D-dimer in the AMI group was significantly lower than that in the AD group or in the PE group (both P<0.001), while there was no statistically significant difference between the AD group and the PE group (P>0.05). However, there were no significant difference in the FIB levels among 3 groups (all P>0.05). The FDP level in the AMI group was significantly lower than that in the AD group or in the PE group (both P<0.001), while there was no statistically significant difference between the AD group and the PE group (P>0.05). Conclusion: The levels of D-dimer and FDP are increased in AD and PE patients and may be as the useful biomarkers for the high-risk chest pain patients but not for AMI.