In this issue of the European Journal of Internal Medicine, Lazaros et al. present the results of a prospective clinical study conducted in a tertiary referral center to investigate the potential usefulness of D-Dimer as a diagnostic and prognostic plasma biomarker in patients with a first episode of acute pericarditis [1]. The authors conclude that D-Dimer can provide useful clues, particularly regarding in-hospital complications such as pleural and pericardial effusion and cardiac tamponade. This topic is of undeniable interest, given the potential clinical impact of a biomarker that could help in the risk stratification of patients who can suffer from many potential complications both in the acute setting and short- or long-term.
