Combining clinical risk with D-dimer testing to rule out deep vein thrombosis

Abstract Guidelines for the diagnostic workup of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) recommend assessing the clinical pretest probability before proceeding to D-dimer testing and/or compression ultrasonography (CUS) if the patient has high pretest probability or positive D-dimer. Referring only patients with positive D-dimer for whole-leg CUS irrespective of pretest probability may simplify the workup of DVT. In this prospective management outcome study, we assessed the safety of such a strategy. We included consecutive outpatients referred to the Emergency Department at Østfold Hospital, Norway, with suspected DVT between February 2015 and November 2018. STA-Liatest D-Di Plus D-dimer was analyzed for all patients, and only patients with levels ≥0.5 µg/mL were referred for CUS. All patients with negative D-dimer or negative CUS were followed for 3 months to assess the venous thromboembolic rate. One thousand three hundred ninety-seven patients were included. Median age was 64 years (interquartile range, 52-73 years), and 770 patients (55%) were female. D-dimer was negative in 415 patients (29.7%) and positive in 982 patients (70.3%). DVT was diagnosed in 277 patients (19.8%). Six patients in whom DVT was ruled out at baseline were diagnosed with DVT within 3 months of follow-up for a thromboembolic rate of 0.5% (95% confidence interval, 0.2-1.2). A simple diagnostic approach with initial stand-alone D-dimer followed by a single whole-leg CUS in patients with positive D-dimer safely ruled out DVT. We consider this strategy to be a valuable alternative to the conventional workup of DVT in outpatients. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT02486445.

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P001: Age-adjusted D-dimer and two-site compression point of care ultrasonography to rule out acute deep vein thrombosis - a pilot study

CJEM ◽

10.1017/cem.2018.199 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 20 (S1) ◽

pp. S57-S57

Author(s):

K. Alqaydi ◽

J. Turner ◽

L. Robichaud ◽

D. Hamad ◽

X. Xue ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Deep Vein Thrombosis ◽

Point Of Care ◽

Screening Tools ◽

Duplex Scan ◽

Vein Thrombosis ◽

Wells Score ◽

Deep Vein ◽

D Dimer ◽

Rule Out

Introduction: Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) can lead to significant morbidity and mortality if not diagnosed and treated promptly. Currently, few methods aside from venous duplex scanning can rule out DVT in patients presenting to the Emergency Department (ED). Current screening tools, including the use of the subjective Wells score, frequently leads to unnecessary investigations and anticoagulation. In this study, we sought to determine whether two-site compression point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) combined with a negative age-adjusted D-dimer test can accurately rule out DVT in ED patients irrespective of the modified Wells score. Methods: This is a single-center, prospective observational study in the ED of the Jewish General Hospital in Montreal. We are recruiting a convenience sample of patients presenting to the ED with symptoms suggestive of DVT. All enrolled patients are risk-stratified using the modified Wells criteria for DVT, then undergo two-site compression POCUS, and testing for age-adjusted D-dimer. Patients with DVT unlikely according to modified Wells score, negative POCUS and negative age-adjusted D-dimer are discharged home and receive a three-month phone follow-up. Patients with DVT likely according to modified Wells score, a positive POCUS or a positive age-adjusted D-dimer, will undergo a venous duplex scan. A true negative DVT is defined as either a negative venous duplex scan or a negative follow-up phone questionnaire for patients who were sent home without a venous duplex scan. Results: Of the 42 patients recruited thus far, the mean age is 56 years old and 42.8% are male. Twelve (28.6%) patients had DVT unlikely as per modified Wells score, negative POCUS and negative age-adjusted D-dimer and were discharged home. None of these patients developed a DVT on three-month follow-up. Thirty patients (71.4%) had either a DVT likely as per modified Wells score, a positive POCUS or a positive age-adjusted D-dimer and underwent a venous duplex scan. Of those, six patients had a confirmed DVT (3 proximal & 3 distal). POCUS detected all proximal DVTs, while combined POCUS and age-adjusted D-dimer detected all proximal and distal DVTs. None of the patients with a negative POCUS and age-adjusted D-dimer were found to have a DVT. Conclusion: Two-site compression POCUS combined with a negative age-adjusted D-dimer test appears to accurately rule out DVT in ED patients without the need for follow-up duplex venous scan. Using this approach would alleviate the need to calculate the Wells score, and also reduce the need for radiology-performed duplex venous scan for many patients.

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