ABSTRACT
This prospective study was designed to assess the diagnostic sensitivity, specificity and negative predictive value of the NycoCard D-dimer plasma immunofiltration assay in patients with suspected deep vein thrombosis (DVT) confirmed by ultrasonography/venography. 84 medical patients were recruited: 43 patients (51%) had proven venous thrombosis, 33 by venography and 10 by ultrasonography. The sensitivity of NycoCard D-dimer in patients with DVT was 95.3%, the specificity was 22.0% and the negative predictive value was 81.8%. An algorithm including the NycoCard D-dimer test for the acute management of DVT is proposed. This would enable low-risk patients to be discharged early from hospital, without imaging or anticoagulant therapy.
Subject(s)
Antifibrinolytic Agents/analysis , Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products/analysis , Immunoassay/methods , Thrombophlebitis/diagnosis , Acute Disease , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Female , Filtration , Humans , Immunoassay/standards , Male , Middle Aged , Prospective Studies , Radiography , Sensitivity and Specificity , Thrombophlebitis/diagnostic imaging , UltrasonographyABSTRACT
Twenty-four-hour intragastric acidity and plasma gastrin concentration were measured in healthy subjects (n = 16), and patients with duodenal (n = 12) or gastric (n = 10) ulceration, or pernicious anaemia (n = 8). Median integrated 24-hour intragastric acidity was highest in duodenal ulcer patients and lowest in pernicious anaemia patients (1148 and 0 mmol.hour litre-1, respectively). Median integrated 24-hour plasma gastrin was highest in pernicious anaemia and lowest in the healthy subjects (9886 and 238 pmol.hour litre-1, respectively). Pernicious anaemia patients have unremitting hypergastrinaemia throughout the 24 hours. The results of this study not only provide a reference range of acidity and plasma gastrin in health and disease, but also will act as a baseline for future studies using antisecretory drugs.
