Cardiovascular & clot risk

YEARS algorithm

Three clinical items with a protocol-specific D-dimer threshold for suspected PE.

Intended population: Stable adults with suspected acute PE in a general nonpregnant diagnostic pathway; not already receiving therapeutic anticoagulation.

A low score does not exclude a clot. Follow a validated diagnostic pathway and local testing guidance.
Do not delay emergency assessment for instability. This general adult version is not a pregnancy/postpartum pathway or a rule for patients already receiving therapeutic anticoagulation.
Requires an appropriate high-sensitivity FEU assay. ng/mL FEU equals µg/L FEU; DDU values are different. This is not pregnancy-adapted YEARS.
Use strict less-than thresholds; a value equal to the cutoff is not negative. Do not combine this rule with an age-adjusted cutoff.

Stable adult with suspected PE; nonpregnant/nonpostpartum and not therapeutically anticoagulated

Clinical signs of DVT

Hemoptysis

PE is the most likely diagnosis

D-dimer (FEU only; do not enter DDU) (ng/mL FEU)

Sources and scoring references

van der Hulle et al.: prospective YEARS study ↗

Implementation references reviewed October 28, 2026. Verify applicability and unusual or treatment-changing results against the linked references and local guidance.