All issues > Volume 42(2); 1999

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1999;42(2):257-263. Published online February 15, 1999.

Diagnostic Utility of D-dimer Test in Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation with Sepsis

Jung Eun JE Kim¹, Young Mi YM Hong¹, Gyung Hee GH Kim¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea

Abstract

Purpose
: Disseminated intravascular coagulation(DIC) is a confusing disorder from both a diagnostic and therapeutic standpoint. In order to investigate the effectiveness of D-dimer test in disseminated intravascular coagulation associated with sepsis, D-dimer level and other laboratory tests were performed.
Methods
: Fifty patients with disseminated intravascular coagulation associated with sepsis, who were admitted to the department of pediatrics, were evaluated by several tests(total WBC, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, blood culture test, prothrombin time, partial thromboplastin time, fibrinogen, fibrin degradation product, and D-dimer). If the test showed abnormal, follow-up study was performed.
Results
: The positive rate of D-dimer in DIC was 72% and FDP 58%. The false positive rate of D-dimer level in normal children was 3.3% and FDP 6.7%. There was a significant linear correlation between D-dimer and FDP.
Conclusion
: D-dimer test was the most effective test for diagnosing disseminated intravascular coagulation.

Keywords :Disseminated intravascular coagulation, D-dimer test