【Abstract】Objective To evaluate the prognostic value of plasma D-dimer level in cancer thrombosis and vascular invasion assessment and to analyze the correlation between plasma D-dimer level and the Pittsburgh modified TNM staging in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma for orthotopic liver transplantation. MethodsThe plasma D-dimer level was quantitated using Golden method in 120 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma for orthotopic liver transplantation. Cancer thrombosis in trunk vein and microvascular invasion was diagnosed by pathology. The relationship between plasma D-dimer level in different Child-pugh’s classification patients and vascular invasion as well as the Pittsburgh modified TNM staging was analyzed with χ2 test, factorial analysis of variance and q test by microsoft SPSS 9.0.ResultsIn ChildPugh’s A, B and C patients, the difference of plasma D-dimer level between patients with trunk vein cancer thrombosis and patients without vascular invasion was significant (P＜0.05). The differences of plasma D-dimer level between patients with microvascular invasion and patients without vascular invasion were significant (P＜0.01) in Child-Pugh’s B and C patients but was insignificant in Child-Pugh’s A patients (Pgt;0.05). The differences of plasma D-dimer level between patients with the Pittsburgh modified TNM Ⅰand Ⅱ tumor and patients with TNM Ⅲ tumor, and between patients with the Pittsburgh modified TNM Ⅰand Ⅱ tumor and patients with TNM Ⅳ tumor were significant (P＜0.05), but the differences of plasma D-dimer level between patients with the Pittsburgh modified TNM Ⅲ tumor and patients with TNM Ⅳ tumor were insignificant (Pgt;0.05).ConclusionPlasma D-dimer level, which increasing as upgrade of the Pittsburgh TNM staging, is useful in the vascular invasion and cancer thrombosis assessment in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma for liver transplantation, and the correlation was more significant as progression of vascular invasion and upgrade of Child-pugh’s classification.
Objective To compare the effects of heparin versus urokinase injection intrapleurally in the management of pleural thickening and adhesion due to tuberculous exudative pleurisy. Methods Sixty patients with tuberculous pleurisy were allocated into three groups randomly. Sodium heparin ( heparin group) , urokinase ( urokinase group) , and 0. 9% saline ( control group) were intrapleurally injected respectively. The concentrations of fibrinogen and D-dimer in pleural effusion were measured before and after the injection. The duration of absorption and the total drainage volume of pleural effusion were recorded. The pleural thickness and adhesion were observed two months after the injection. Results In 72 hours after the intrapleural injection, the concentration of fibrinogen( g/L) in the pleural effusion was significantly increased in the heparin group( 1. 13 ±0. 44 vs 0. 34 ±0. 19, P lt; 0. 001) , and significantly decreased in the urokinase group( 0. 25 ±0. 16 vs 0. 38 ±0. 15, P lt; 0. 05) when compared with baseline. Concentrations of D-dimer in the pleural effusions were significantly higher than those at baseline in both the heparin group and the urokinase group( 57. 0 ±17. 6 vs 40. 0 ±15. 4, P lt; 0. 05; 74. 5 ±16. 4 vs 43. 8 ±14. 9, P lt; 0. 001) . There were no significant differences in the absorption duration of pleural effusion among the three groups( P gt;0. 05) . The total drainage volume of pleural effusion was higher in the heparin group and the urokinase group compared to the control group( P lt;0. 01) . And the total volume of pleural effusion was significantly higher in the heparin group and the urokinase group than that in the control group( 2863 mL and 2465 mL vs 1828 mL,P lt;0. 01) . Two months after the intervention, the pleura were thinner[ ( 1. 37 ±0. 82) mm and ( 1. 33 ±0. 85) mmvs ( 3. 06 ±1. 20) mm, P lt; 0. 01] and the incidence of pleural adhesion was significantly lower[ 15% and 20% vs 50% , P lt; 0. 05] in the heparin and the urokinase groups than those in the control group.Conclusion Intrapleural heparin has similar effects with urokinase for prevention pleural thickness andadhesion in tuberculous pleurisy with good availability and safety.
【Abstract】Objective To explore the differential diagnostic value of major fibrinolytic parameters in pleural fluid. Methods Tissue-type plasminogen activator( t-PA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1( PAI-1) in pleural fluid at the first thoracentesis were measured with ELISA and D-dimer was measured with immunoturbidimetry. Results Eighty-four patients with pleural effusion were enrolled, among which 40 with malignant effusion, 33 with infectious effusion and 11 with transudative effusion. t-PA level was higher in malignant and transudative pleural fluid than that in infectious pleural fluid[ ( 52. 49 ±31. 46) ng /mL and ( 58. 12 ±23. 14) ng /mL vs ( 37. 39 ±22. 44) ng /mL, P lt; 0. 05] , but was not statistically different between malignant pleural fluid and transudative ( P gt; 0. 05) . PAI-1 level was higher in malignant and infectious pleural fluid than that in transudative [ ( 164. 86 ±150. 22) ng/mL and ( 232. 42 ±175. 77) ng/mL vs ( 46. 38 ±16. 13) ng/mL, P lt; 0. 01] , but was not statistically different between malignant and infectious pleural fluid( P gt;0. 05) . D-dimer levels in the three types of pleural fluid were significantly different, which was ( 23. 66 ±25. 18) mg/L, ( 6. 36 ±10. 87) mg/L and ( 66. 90 ±42. 17) mg/L in malignant, transudative and infectious pleural fluid, respectively. As single-item detection for malignant pleural fluid, the cutoff of t-PA was gt; 38. 7 ng/mL( area under ROC curve was 64. 0 ) , with sensitivity of 60. 0% , specificity of 63. 6%, positive predictive value of 66. 7%, negative predictive value of 56. 8% and accuracy of 61. 6% .The cutoff of D-dimer was lt; 27. 0 mg/L( area under ROC curve was 85. 5) , with sensitivity of 84. 8% ,specificity of 72. 5% , positive predictive value of 85. 3% , negative predictive value of 71. 8% and accuracy of78.1%. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy of combined examination( t-PA + D-dimer) were 92. 5% , 60. 6% , 74. 0% , 87. 0% , 78. 1% , respectively.Conclusions The t-PA, PAI-1 and D-dimer levels are significantly different in the three types of pleural fluid. The detection of fibrinolytic parameters in pleural fluid, especially the value of D-dimer,may be helpful in the differential diagnosis of pleural effusion.
【Abstract】 Objective To improve the knowledge of pulmonary embolism with normal D-dimer levels. Methods Nine consecutive patients of established pulmonary embolism with a normal D-dimer concentration admitted from January 2004 to December 2009 were analyzed retrospectively. Results Pulmonary embolism was confirmed in the 9 patients with a normal D-dimer concentration. Pulmonary embolismwas confirmed in only one patientwith an unlikely probability of pulmonary embolism. Wells score was 3 and the localization of the emboli was segmental emboli. In other 8 patients with a likely clinical probability of pulmonary embolism, the complaints of those patients existed between 1 hour and 2 months.Wells score was between 4. 5 and 7. 5, with a median of 6. 0. D-dimer concentration was between 0. 1 and 0. 5 mg/L, with a median of 0. 3 mg/L. The localization of the emboli was sub-segmental emboli in 3 cases,segmental emboli in 4 cases, and central emboli in 2 cases. Conclusions Our findings indicate that it is essential to examine the patient and assess the clinical probability at the first, then the D-dimer concentration should be taken into account. In patients with a likely clinical probability, a normal D-dimer test result can not exclude pulmonary embolism, and additional imaging testing is necessary.
Objective To evaluate the quality of Chinese literatures on the methodology of D-dimer diagnostic test. Method We searched CNKI (1994 to 2006) and CBM (1978 to 2006) for articles involving the diagnostic tests of D-dimer for coagulation disorders. Result A total of 63 relevant articles were retrieved and 7 were included in our review. Only one of these provided useful data on two two table for the evaluation of diagnostic accuracy. Conclusions Few studies on the diagnostic tests of D-dimer have been performed and publ ished in China, all of poor quality. Further studies should focus on clinical diagnostic sensitivity and specificity, so as to provide more valuable information for readers.