DIAGNOSTIC ABILITY OF D-DIMER IN THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE VITALITY OFWOUNDS

The potential of skin measurements of D-dimer (DD), a specific derivat ive of crosslinked fibrin, for the diagnosis of the vital origin of wo unds was investigated in 67 human vital skin wounds and homolateral co ntrol pieces of skin from 53 autopsies performed at the Institute of L egal Medicine of Coimbra (Portugal) during 1992. Our results demonstra te that DD levels for the incised vital skin wounds (n = 50) were much higher on average than their controls (P < 0.01) which were actually incised injuries produced postmortem at the autopsy. We did not find a ny statistical difference in average DD levels among the remaining inj uries (seven abrasions and ten contusions) in comparison to their resp ective controls. DD may be used, with certain limitations, as a marker of the vitality of incised wounds. The authors believe this is the fi rst time this marker has been applied in forensic pathology. It is an example of an easy and quick application technique, with the added adv antage of low cost.