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High plasma levels of d-dimer, an indicator of activated coagulation and fibrinolysis, predict recurrent venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism and might also be a marker for coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke, and peripheral arterial disease. Such manifestations of atherosclerosis probably are caused by inflammation of the arterial wall, but how d-dimer levels are related to inflammatory markers is unclear.
In a prospective case-control study, researchers evaluated markers for CHD risk in more than 10,000 New Zealand residents. During a mean observation period of 5.5 years, 256 participants either suffered fatal coronary events or received diagnoses of myocardial infarction (cases). Cases were matched to controls (615 participants who w…