Is D-dimer a predictor of strangulated intestinal hernia?
GROUND: The goal of this study was to assess the relevance of serum D-dimer measurement as a possible reliable marker for the diagnosis of strangulated intestinal hernia. METHODS: Consecutive patients admitted with nontraumatic acute abdominal gastrointestinal disorders were recruited prospectively in a tertiary referral hospital. The study was conducted in 159 patients between August 2002 and April 2004. D-dimer, lactate dehydrogenase, serum amylase, and international normalized ratio (INR) levels were tested in the emergency room prior to surgical intervention. For each patient, 15 variables, including D-dimer, were available for analysis. RESULTS: Thirty-three (20.7%) of the 159 patients had intestinal ischemia, and 28 (85%) of these 33 patients had D-dimer level > 300 ng/ml. Plasma levels of D-dimer in patients with intestinal ischemia were significantly higher than in patients without ischemia (P < 0.05). There were 29 (18.2%) patients in the hernia group with incarceration (n = 2
