A NEW, SEMIQUANTITATIVE AND INDIVIDUAL ELISA FOR RAPID MEASUREMENT OFPLASMA D-DIMER IN PATIENTS SUSPECTED OF PULMONARY-EMBOLISM

The performance of a new membrane ELISA for semi-quantitative determin ation of plasma D-dimer has been evaluated. Its cut-off is about 500 n g/ml FEU and this single test is completed within 10 min. D-dimer was measured in 301 patients suspected of pulmonary embolism by convention al microplate and membrane ELISA. For the latter, readings were made b y eye and some differences were noticed between the readers for reacti ons in the grey zone. Sensitivity and negative predictive values were similar for the two ELISA (higher than 90%). The 95% confidence interv als of sensitivity and negative predictive values obtained with this m embrane ELISA suggest that this new test may be used as a diagnostic t ool to exclude the presence of pulmonary embolism.