Table 1 Definition of D-dimers, fibrin monomers, fibrinogen degradation products and fibrin degradation products
From: Management of the thrombotic risk associated with COVID-19: guidance for the hemostasis laboratory
Entity | Definition | Antigenic definition (what is recognized by the antibodies of the immunoassay – immunogen that was used to obtain the antibodies in the animal) |
|---|---|---|
Degradation products containing the ‘D-dimers’ motif (fibrin degradation products) | Soluble molecular assemblies produced by the action of plasmin on polymerized fibrin stabilized by factor XIIIa, hence comprising the ‘D-dimers’ motif | Two ‘D’ nodules of two adjacent fibrin monomers in the fibrin network, covalently linked by factor XIIIa |
Soluble fibrin complexes | Complexes formed of at least one fibrin monomer associated with fibrinogen molecules, but also fibrinogen or even fibrin degradation products – those complexes are soluble in plasma | desAA-fibrin (fibrinogen from which fibrinopeptides A have been removed) |
Fibrinogen degradation products | Molecules produced by the action of plasmin on fibrinogen (when there systemic fibrinolysis occurs) | Nodule ‘D’ or ‘E’ of fibrinogen: present on fibrinogen and their degradation products; fibrinogen must therefore be eliminated beforehand so as not to be measured |