A Comparative Study on the Sensitivity of D-Dimer with Doppler ultrasound in the Diagnosis of Deep Venous Thrombosis

Introduction: Deep venous thrombosis (DVT) is a coagulation disorder that is on the rise due to lifestyle changes. Patients with DVT are at risk for developing a life-threatening complication, pulmonary embolism which urges the importance of its early diagnosis. The Gold standard modality for its early diagnosis is invasive which is Venography. Other modalities like compression ultrasound and duplex imaging are noninvasive but operator-dependent and not routinely available during evening and night shift hours. D-Dimer is a simple, noninvasive, cost-effective, and easily available diagnostic test that can be helpful in diagnosis. The objective of this study is to compare the sensitivity of D-Dimers with Doppler ultrasound for the diagnosis of deep venous thrombosis.Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional comparative (validation) study in which 65 admitted patients with a high risk of DVT on Well’s criteria for clinical diagnosis were enrolled by non-probability convenience sampling from March to August 2018. Both D-Dimer and Doppler ultrasounds were performed on all suspected patients of DVT.Results: Amongst 65 cases, 60 (92.3%) had positive Dimer results compared to 65 (100.0%) with the Doppler ultrasound. The difference between the two diagnostic modalities was statistically significant (p-value = 0.02). The sensitivity of D-dimers was 92.3% however specificity, PPV, and NPV were 0% as none of the cases was negative on ultrasound Doppler.Conclusion: The D-dimer test is a conveniently performed, cost-effective test with a sensitivity of more than 90% in the current study and can be useful for Emergency and critical care departments

A Comparative Study on the Sensitivity of D-Dimer with Doppler ultrasound in the Diagnosis of Deep Venous Thrombosis

Introduction: Deep venous thrombosis (DVT) is a coagulation disorder that is on the rise due to lifestyle changes. Patients with DVT are at risk for developing a life-threatening complication, pulmonary embolism which urges the importance of its early diagnosis. The Gold standard modality for its early diagnosis is invasive which is Venography. Other modalities like compression ultrasound and duplex imaging are noninvasive but operator-dependent and not routinely available during evening and night shift hours. D-Dimer is a simple, noninvasive, cost-effective, and easily available diagnostic test that can be helpful in diagnosis. The objective of this study is to compare the sensitivity of D-Dimers with Doppler ultrasound for the diagnosis of deep venous thrombosis.Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional comparative (validation) study in which 65 admitted patients with a high risk of DVT on Well’s criteria for clinical diagnosis were enrolled by non-probability convenience sampling from March to August 2018. Both D-Dimer and Doppler ultrasounds were performed on all suspected patients of DVT.Results: Amongst 65 cases, 60 (92.3%) had positive Dimer results compared to 65 (100.0%) with the Doppler ultrasound. The difference between the two diagnostic modalities was statistically significant (p-value = 0.02). The sensitivity of D-dimers was 92.3% however specificity, PPV, and NPV were 0% as none of the cases was negative on ultrasound Doppler.Conclusion: The D-dimer test is a conveniently performed, cost-effective test with a sensitivity of more than 90% in the current study and can be useful for Emergency and critical care departments

Normality ranges of urine oxidative stress markers (8-OHdG and isoprostane) in Italian people free from respiratory diseases-Preliminary results

BACKGROUND: The study of oxidative stress (OxS) is becoming increasingly important in respiratory disease research. To our knowledge, the reference ranges of urinary 8-hydroxy-deoxy-guanosine (8-OHdG) and 8-isoprostane (isoprostane), a DNA and a lipid oxidation product respectively, have not yet been determined in subjects without respiratory diseases. AIM: To assess the reference range of OxS markers in Italian people aged 20-64 free from respiratory diseases (controls). METHODS: 8-OHdG and isoprostane were measured in spot-urine samples collected in the frame of Gene-Environment Interactions in Respiratory Diseases (GEIRD) study, a nested multi-case control survey. The biomarkers levels were corrected on creatinine concentration. Only controls (n=239) were considered for the aim of this work. The possible effects of potential determinants on OxS-biomarkers were studied before determining the normality range in selected subgroups of controls. Multiple linear regression was fitted to data using the logarithm of 8OHdG or isoprostane as dependent variables and sex, age, season, smoke, body mass index, as covariates. The appropriate percentiles were calculated. RESULTS: Both 8OHdG and isoprostane concentrations were significantly higher in smokers than in non smokers (p=0.025 and 0.047 respectively), while the other covariates did not influence OxS. The 95% 8OHdG normality range in non smokers varied from 0.26 to 25.94 ng/mg. The 95% isoprostane reference interval was 0.03 -5.42 ng/mg in non smokers. CONCLUSION: Provisional 95% normality range for urinary 8OHdG and isoprostane were determined in subjects free from respiratory diseases

Biomarkers of Oxidative Stress and Inflammation in Chronic Airway Diseases

The global burden of chronic airway diseases represents an important public health concern. The role of oxidative stress and inflammation in the pathogenesis of these diseases is well known. The aim of this study is to evaluate the behavior of both inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers in patients with chronic bronchitis, current asthma and past asthma in the frame of a population-based study