INTRODUCTION The @entity7617 ( @entity7617 ) is characterized by high sensitivity and low specificity in diagnosing @entity1151 ( @entity1151 ) in older @entity1 . A higher cut  -off level for D  -dimer has been proposed, aiming at increasing the specificity while maintaining high sensitivity. It is calculated by multiplying the @entity1 's age in years by a coefficient of 10 (YADD10). OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to validate the clinical value of YADD10 in @entity1 with suspected acute @entity1151 and to optimize this threshold to achieve @entity101 paired with high sensitivity. @entity1 AND METHODS The medical records of 1022 @entity1 with suspected acute @entity1151 , hospitalized between the years 2014 and 2016, were retrospectively analyzed. @entity1 older than 50 years, with complete medical records and good quality of multislice computed tomography (CT) scans were enrolled. The sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value, positive predictive value, and accuracy of the proposed thresholds were calculated and compared with those of the CCD. The number of computed tomography scans that could have been avoided with higher thresholds was determined. RESULTS The final analysis included 321 @entity1 (176 @entity1 ; mean age, 74.2 years; range, 51-101 years). Acute @entity1151 was confirmed in 135 @entity1 . The sensitivity of @entity7617 was 100%, and specificity-5.4%. The use of the YADD10 and YADD11 thresholds (obtained by multiplying by the coefficients of 10 and 11, respectively) resulted in maintaining high sensitivity, with @entity101 of 8.6% (YADD10) and 12.4% (YADD11). The number of unnecessary CT scans was reduced by 7%. CONCLUSIONS The YADD thresholds are characterized by high sensitivity and @entity101 when compared with @entity7617 , thus allowing for a safe reduction of the number of CT scans. A prospective study should be conducted to validate these results.

Age  -adjusted plasma D  -dimer levels in suspected XXXX : a retrospective, single  -center study.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['women', 'Patients', 'patients', 'patient', 'PATIENTS'] @entity7617 :: ('MESH:C563514', 'Disease') :: ['CDD', 'conventional D  -dimer threshold'] @entity101 :: ('MESH:D006973', 'Disease') :: ['increased specificity'] @entity1151 :: ('MESH:D011655', 'Disease') :: ['PE', 'acute pulmonary embolism']
@entity1151 :: (MESH:D011655,Disease) :: ['acute pulmonary embolism']
