The clinical features of patients suffering from pulmonary embolism with negative D-dimer

Abstract

Objective To summarize the clinical features of patients suffering from pulmonary embolism (PE) with D-dimer ＜ 0. 5 μg/mL in order to raise the diagnostic accuracy and reduce the mortality rate of PE. Methods D-dimer-negative patients with suspected PE were admitted from January 2006 through December 2009. A comparison of clinical features including clinical manifestations, vital signs, laboratory and ancillary findings between 16 patients finally diagnosed PE and 41 patients without PE. Results Compared with patients without PE, the D-dimer-negative patients with PE usually had past history of venous thromembolism (VTE) or recent surgery. The symptoms of chest tightness, acute dyspnea, tachypnea, lower extremity edema and typical S I QⅢTⅢ changes of ECG were more often occurred in patients with PE than those in patients without PE of control group. Conclusions D-dimer test is a good screening test for acute PE because its negative predictive value is high, but when the patients have acute dyspnea, lower extremity edema, previous history of VTE or/and recent surgery and ECG SI QⅢ TⅢ changes, even if D -dimer ＜ 0. 5 μg/mL, clinicians also should pay attention to and if necessary, further tests should be considered to confirm the diagnosis of PE. Key words: Pulmonary embolism; D-dimer; Clinical characters; Differential diagnosis