Ryu J-A et al. - In the current study, it was shown that abnormal D-dimer levels are suggestive of a diagnosis of cryptogenic stroke in critically ill cancer patients.

Methods
88 cancer patients with suspected cerebral infarction who underwent MRI scanning were evaluated and D-dimer levels were determined.

Results
Cerebral infarction was diagnosed in 49% of the cancer patients; however, D-dimer levels did not differ between patients who did and did not have a cerebral infarction.
D-dimer levels, however, were consistent with cryptogenic stroke as an etiology compared to other etiologies or non-cerebral infarction in critically ill cancer patients (aOR = 5.46).