D-dimer result high but no blood clot?

[MamOfTwo]

I had a D-dimer blood test as had lower leg pain. It came back above the normal level so I was sent for a ultrasound scan - luckily no blood clot was found. But what other reasons could there be for an elevated result? (It was only raised slightly but am still bit worried.)

It’s not a very specific test (if it’s -ve it means there’s no clot, if it’s positive there’s quite often no clot either). There are many things that can cause it to be a bit high - having had an infection is probably the commonest.

I had this - D-dimer "off the scale", low oxygen levels, shortness of breath. Believed to be multiple embolii on the lungs - CT scan showed nothing!

Long story short, turned out to be a serious allergy to an antibiotic.

I hope you get an answer!

Loads of things and nothing can mean you have a high D-dimer. It's not a very accurate test.

If you have a normal D-Dimer, you don't have a blood clot. That is the main usefulness of the test.

If yours was only just over normal, and you don't have a blood clot, it probably warrants no further investigation.

Mine was related to infected gallstones.

Your body has microbleeds for all kinds of little dings and knocks - it clots and you'd never know - thats what a bruise is after all, a bleed. I was told even banging my foot could result in a raised level. Its part of business as usual most of the time for your body to be breaking down a tiny clot somewhere or other.

A positive d-dimer is largely meaningless - it's only a useful test when negative as it can avoid the need to undergo a scan. As others have said it can be caused by minor infections, bruising, etc. It even goes up with age.

Thank you for the replies. Sounds like something I should just chalk up as one of those things...

@MamOfTwo did you ever find out what caused a raised d-dimer?

Mummy1319, I'm not the op, but going through the exact same thing and its getting me down. Pm me if you want to chat. X