Abstract | BACKGROUND: METHODS: Five hundred sixteen stroke patients with measured d-dimer levels and who were consecutively admitted to our stroke center from 2009 to 2012 were included. Cancer status was determined by medical chart, and 59 patients were identified to have active cancer. An additional 48 cancer patients with stroke were identified from the hospital database. Several d-dimer cutoff levels were used to predict cancer-related stroke. RESULTS:
Stroke patients with active cancer had significantly higher d-dimer levels than those without cancer (P < .001). The average d-dimer level in stroke patients without cancer was .66 ± 1.83 mg/L, whereas the levels for active cancer patients from the stroke center and hospital database were 5.70 ± 9.63 mg/L and 10.47 ± 12.31 mg/L, respectively. When using d-dimer of .55 mg/L or more and multiple territory infarctions as criteria, the specificity and positive predictive value (PPV) for cancer-related stroke were 99.7% and 92.9%, respectively. When using d-dimer of 5.5 mg/L or more as the cutoff value, the test had a high specificity and PPV regardless the brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings. Six stroke patients fitting our criteria were confirmed to have occult malignancy after comprehensive cancer survey. CONCLUSIONS:
|
Authors | Yi-Jen Guo, Ming-Hung Chang, Po-Lin Chen, Yu-Shan Lee, Yu-Chia Chang, Yi-Chu Liao |
Journal | Journal of stroke and cerebrovascular diseases : the official journal of National Stroke Association
(J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis)
Vol. 23
Issue 4
Pg. e249-54
(Apr 2014)
ISSN: 1532-8511 [Electronic] United States |
PMID | 24295603
(Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
|
Copyright | Copyright © 2014 National Stroke Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. |
Chemical References |
- Biomarkers
- Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products
- fibrin fragment D
|
Topics |
- Aged
- Biomarkers
(blood)
- Female
- Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products
(analysis)
- Humans
- Male
- Middle Aged
- Neoplasms
(complications, metabolism)
- Predictive Value of Tests
- Retrospective Studies
- Stroke
(complications, diagnosis, metabolism)
|