They can migrate and kill patients if they move into blood vessels in the lung or other organs. He tested 98 patients admitted to the unit, taking a small blood sample and checking it for the presence of D-dimer. Although blood for the D-dimer test was drawn at the time of admission to the intensive care unit, the investigational test was delayed for several days. About a quarter of the study patients had a diagnosis of blood clots requiring treatment, but the number of suspected clots was much higher. Often a clot will be suspected after trauma or surgery to the leg.
Physicians suspect clots in the lung if a patient suffers from acute shortness of breath.
The D-dimer test can be performed at the bedside. Past research from Kollef and colleagues has shown that high levels of D-dimer are associated with poor patient outcomes. That's especially true in the intensive care unit. But Kollef believes the D-dimer test has the potential to change some of those poor outcomes. Because it rapidly makes physicians aware of blood clots, immediate interventions can be administered to break up clots and preserve organ function.