@article{Aziz_Junaid_Ibrahim_Shoaib_Iftikhar_Awais_2022, title={DIAGNOSTIC ACCURACY OF D-DIMER ASSAY IN PULMONARY EMBOLISM USING CTPA AS GOLD STANDARD}, volume={72}, url={https://pafmj.org/PAFMJ/article/view/7420}, DOI={10.51253/pafmj.v72i2.7420}, abstractNote={<p><strong>Objective:</strong> To determine the sensitivity and specificity of D-dimer assay for the diagnosis of PE in resource limited settings using CTPA as a gold standard for comparison.</p> <p><strong>Study Design:</strong> Cross-sectional study.</p> <p><strong>Place and Duration of Study:</strong> Department of Radiology, Combined Military Hospital, Peshawar, from Feb 2019 to Jul 2020.</p> <p><strong>Methodology:</strong> A sample of 114 cases of clinically suspected PE presenting in ED were collected by non-probability sampling as per QUADAS 2 domains. D-dimer and CTPA reporting done by separate teams, compilation of data by third team. Using SPSS 23.0, 2×2 contingency table was used to calculate the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and diagnostic accuracy of D-dimer in diagnosing PE.</p> <p><strong>Results:</strong> Age range 20-50 years (mean: 40.54 ± 5.02 years). Sixty patients were female (52.3%). D- Dimer levels for the diagnosis of PE: Sensitivity: 92.86%, specificity 89.66%, positive predictive value (PPV): 89.66% and negative predictive value (NPV): 92.86%.</p> <p><strong>Conclusion:</strong> The D-Dimer levels are significantly sensitive and specific in the diagnosis of PE: however keeping in view the high mortality of PE, diagnostic accuracy may be further improved by using D-Dimer levels in conjunction with pretest clinical probability rules.</p>}, number={2}, journal={Pakistan Armed Forces Medical Journal}, author={Aziz, Sadaf and Junaid, Meena and Ibrahim, Nadeem and Shoaib, Sonia and Iftikhar, Amian and Awais, Lubaina}, year={2022}, month={May}, pages={700–03} }