Rethinking D-Dimer with Age in Mind - Summary - MDSpire

Rethinking D-Dimer with Age in Mind

JAMA study shows age-adjusted cutoffs safely exclude DVT in more patients, sparing unnecessary ultrasounds

  • By

  • Olivia Anderson

  • January 9, 2026

  • 3 min

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Objective:

To evaluate the safety and efficiency of an age-adjusted D-dimer cutoff for ruling out deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in patients aged 50 years or older.

Key Findings:
  • Age-adjusted D-dimer threshold (age × 10 µg/L) safely increased the proportion of patients in whom DVT could be ruled out without imaging.
  • Among patients aged 75 years or older, negative D-dimer results increased from 9% to 26% with the age-adjusted cutoff.
  • No symptomatic venous thromboembolic events occurred during the 3-month follow-up for patients with D-dimer levels between standard and age-adjusted thresholds.
Interpretation:

Applying an age-adjusted D-dimer cutoff improves diagnostic efficiency and reduces unnecessary imaging in older adults, enhancing patient safety.

Limitations:
  • Limited data on Black patients, raising questions about the generalizability of findings.
Conclusion:

The study supports the use of age-adjusted D-dimer cutoffs to safely rule out DVT, potentially improving value-based care in emergency settings.

Original Source(s)

Rethinking D-Dimer with Age in Mind

  • by Olivia Anderson

  • January 9, 2026

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