D-Dimer Levels and Risk of Recurrent Venous Thromboembolism

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Abstract
The optimal duration of secondary thromboprophylaxis among patients with venous thromboembolism (VTE) is unknown. The risk of recurrence is minimal during oral anticoagulation but increases as soon as anticoagulation is stopped.1-4 The price for decreasing the risk of recurrence by prolonging anticoagulation is an increased frequency of bleeding. Screening for risk factors might be helpful to identify patients in whom the risk of bleeding is outweighed by the risk of recurrence. This approach is hampered because many patients have more than 1 thrombophilic condition. To tackle the problem of evaluating the overall risk of recurrence, a single laboratory test that measures multifactorial thrombophilia is required.