scholarly journals Clinical Presentation of Acute Pulmonary Embolism in Patients with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-3
Author(s):  
Nonso Osakwe ◽  
Douglas Hart
Keyword(s):  
Pulmonary Embolism ◽  
Acute Pulmonary Embolism ◽  
Distress Syndrome ◽  
Clinical Presentation ◽  
Clinical Status ◽  
Treatment Decision ◽  
Laboratory Findings ◽  
Anticoagulation Treatment ◽  
D Dimer

The clinical management of severely ill patients with COVID-19-related acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) presents significant challenges. Many COVID-19 patients with ARDS also present with laboratory findings significant for derangement in coagulation function. In this report, we describe acute pulmonary embolism in three patients with COVID-19. We assessed the role of D-dimer assay and anticoagulation treatment in these patients. The aim of this case report is to increase awareness about the use of D-dimer in addition to patient’s clinical status for making treatment decision in COVID-19 patients.

scholarly journals Gender-related differences in clinical presentation, electrocardiography signs, laboratory markers and outcome in patients with acute pulmonary embolism

2016 ◽  
Vol 73 (9) ◽  
pp. 844-849 ◽  
Author(s):  
Slobodan Obradovic ◽  
Boris Dzudovic ◽  
Sinisa Rusovic ◽  
Vesna Subota ◽  
Dragana Obradovic
Keyword(s):  
Pulmonary Embolism ◽  
Acute Pulmonary Embolism ◽  
Clinical Presentation ◽  
Univariate Analysis ◽  
Pulmonary Angiography ◽  
Laboratory Findings ◽  
Laboratory Markers ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Echocardiographic Examination ◽  
Gender Specific Differences

Background/Aim. Acute pulmonary embolism (PE) is a potentially life threating event, but there are scarce data about genderrelated differences in this condition. The aim of this study was to identify gender-specific differences in clinical presentation, the diagnosis and outcome between male and female patients with PE. Methods. We analysed the data of 144 consecutive patients with PE (50% women) and compared female and male patients regarding clinical presentation, electrocardiography (ECG) signs, basic laboratory markers and six-month outcome. All the patients confirmed PE by visualized thrombus on the multidetector computed tomography with pulmonary angiography (MDCTPA), ECG and echocardiographic examination at admission. Results. Compared to the men, the women were older and a larger proportion of them was in the third tertile of age (66.0% vs 34.0%, p = 0.008). In univariate analysis the men more often had hemoptysis [OR (95% CI) 3.75 (1.16-12.11)], chest pain [OR (95% CI) 3.31 (1.57-7.00)] febrile state [OR (95% CI) 2.41 (1.12-5.22)] and pneumonia at PE presentation [OR (95% CI) 3.40 (1.25-9.22)] and less likely had heart decompensation early in the course of the disease [OR (95%CI) 0.48 (0.24-0.97)]. In the multivariate analysis a significant difference in the rate of pneumonia and acute heart failure between genders disappeared due to strong influence of age. There was no significant difference in the occurrence of typical ECG signs for PE between the genders. Women had higher level of admission glycaemia [7.7 mmol/L (5.5-8.2 mmol/L) vs 6.9 mmol/L (6.3-9.6 mmol/L), p = 0.006] and total number of leukocytes [10.5 x 109/L (8.8-12.7 x 109/L vs 8.7 x 109/L (7.0-11.6 x 109/L)), p = 0.007]. There was a trend toward higher plasma level of brain natriuretic peptide in women compared to men 127.1 pg/mL (55.0-484.0 pg/mL), p = 0.092] vs [90.3 pg/mL (39.2-308.5 pg/mL). The main 6-month outcomes, death and major bleeding, had similar frequencies in both sexes. Conclusion. There are several important differences between men and women in the clinical presentation of PE and basic laboratory findings which can influence the diagnosis and treatment of PE.

scholarly journals Advances in the diagnosis of acute pulmonary embolism

F1000Research ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. 44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ella Ishaaya ◽  
Victor F. Tapson
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Pulmonary Embolism ◽  
Acute Pulmonary Embolism ◽  
Clinical Presentation ◽  
Diagnostic Testing ◽  
Lung Imaging ◽  
Common Disease ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Imaging Studies ◽  
Laboratory Findings

Venous thromboembolism is a common disease which remains underdiagnosed because of nonspecific presentations which can range from asymptomatic incidental imaging findings to sudden death. Symptoms can overlap with comorbid cardiopulmonary disease, and risk factors that offer clues to the clinician are not always present. The diagnostic approach can vary depending on the specific clinical presentation, but ruling in the diagnosis nearly always depends on lung imaging. Overuse of diagnostic testing is another recognized problem; a cautious, evidence-based approach is required, although physician gestalt must be acknowledged. The following review offers an approach to the diagnosis of acute pulmonary embolism based on the assessment of symptoms, signs, risk factors, laboratory findings, and imaging studies.

Role of blood coagulation factor XIII in patients with acute pulmonary embolism. Correlation of factor XIII antigen levels with pulmonary occlusion rate, fibrinogen, D-dimer, and clot firmness

2003 ◽  
Vol 90 (09) ◽  
pp. 434-438 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nils Kucher ◽  
Verena Schroeder ◽  
Hans Kohler
Keyword(s):  
Pulmonary Embolism ◽  
Factor Xiii ◽  
Acute Pulmonary Embolism ◽  
Coagulation Factor ◽  
Helical Computed Tomography ◽  
Coagulation Factor Xiii ◽  
A Subunit ◽  
Occlusion Rate ◽  
D Dimer

SummaryIn patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE), pulmonary occlusion rate is directly related to D-dimer and inversely related to fibrinogen levels. The role of coagulation factor XIII (FXIII) levels in acute venous thromboembolism is not known. A total of 120 consecutive patients with suspected PE and VIDAS D-dimer levels >500 μg/L were investigated by helical computed tomography (CT). Pulmonary occlusion rate was assessed by CT using the modified Miller index. D-dimer, fibrinogen, and FXIII A- and B-subunit antigen levels were taken on admission. Thrombelastography (TEG) was performed in a subset of patients (n=12).The 71 patients with PE had lower FXIII A-subunit levels than the 49 patients with excluded PE (78.6±24.5% vs. 91.3±28.8%, p=0.01). In both groups, FXIII A-subunit was inversely related to D-dimer levels. FXIII A-subunit correlated with fibrinogen levels in patients with PE but not in patients without PE. FXIII A-subunit decreased with increasing pulmonary occlusion rate. The risk of PE was increased in the presence of A-subunit levels < 60% (OR 7.0 [95% CI 1.4-35.3], p=0.019). Clot firmness determined by TEG was lower in patients with PE than in patients without PE.In patients with PE, circulating FXIII A-subunit is decreased compared to patients with suspected but excluded PE. The higher the clot burden within the pulmonary arteries the lower the FXIII antigen. In these patients, direct relation of FXIII A-subunit to fibrinogen levels argues for significant consumption of these coagulation factors in PE. This consumption of FXIII can also be detected by a global coagulation test like TEG.

Tissue plasminogen activator as a novel diagnostic aid in acute pulmonary embolism

VASA ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 43 (6) ◽  
pp. 450-458 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julio Flores ◽  
Ángel García-Avello ◽  
Esther Alonso ◽  
Antonio Ruíz ◽  
Olga Navarrete ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pulmonary Embolism ◽  
Negative Predictive Value ◽  
Plasminogen Activator ◽  
Tissue Plasminogen Activator ◽  
Predictive Value ◽  
Acute Pulmonary Embolism ◽  
Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay ◽  
Diagnostic Utility ◽  
Tissue Plasminogen ◽  
D Dimer

Background: We evaluated the diagnostic efficacy of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and compared it with an ELISA D-dimer (VIDAS D-dimer) in acute pulmonary embolism (PE). Patients and methods: We studied 127 consecutive outpatients with clinically suspected PE. The diagnosis of PE was based on a clinical probability pretest for PE and a strict protocol of imaging studies. A plasma sample to measure the levels of tPA and D-dimer was obtained at enrollment. Diagnostic accuracy for tPA and D-dimer was determined by the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, and the diagnostic utility of tPA with a cutoff of 8.5 ng/mL and D-dimer with a cutoff of 500 ng/mL, were calculated for PE diagnosis. Results: PE was confirmed in 41 patients (32 %). Areas under ROC curves were 0.86 for D-dimer and 0.71 for tPA. The sensitivity/negative predictive value for D-dimer using a cutoff of 500 ng/mL, and tPA using a cutoff of 8.5 ng/mL, were 95 % (95 % CI, 88–100 %)/95 % (95 % CI, 88–100 %) and 95 % (95 % CI, 88–100 %)/94 %), respectively. The diagnostic utility to exclude PE was 28.3 % (95 % CI, 21–37 %) for D-dimer and 24.4 % (95 % CI, 17–33 %) for tPA. Conclusions: The tPA with a cutoff of 8.5 ng/mL has a high sensitivity and negative predictive value for exclusion of PE, similar to those observed for the VIDAS D-dimer with a cutoff of 500 ng/mL, although the diagnostic utility was slightly higher for the D-dimer.

scholarly journals Computed Tomography Pulmonary Perfusion for Prediction of Short-Term Clinical Outcome in Acute Pulmonary Embolism

TH Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 05 (01) ◽  
pp. e66-e72
Author(s):  
Lisette F. van Dam ◽  
Lucia J. M. Kroft ◽  
Menno V. Huisman ◽  
Maarten K. Ninaber ◽  
Frederikus A. Klok
Keyword(s):  
Computed Tomography ◽  
Pulmonary Embolism ◽  
Predictive Value ◽  
Acute Pulmonary Embolism ◽  
Clinical Presentation ◽  
Reperfusion Therapy ◽  
Pulmonary Perfusion ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Acute Pe ◽  
Related Mortality

Abstract Background Computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA) is the imaging modality of choice for the diagnosis of acute pulmonary embolism (PE). With computed tomography pulmonary perfusion (CTPP) additional information on lung perfusion can be assessed, but its value in PE risk stratification is unknown. We aimed to evaluate the correlation between CTPP-assessed perfusion defect score (PDS) and clinical presentation and its predictive value for adverse short-term outcome of acute PE. Patients and Methods This was an exploratory, observational study in 100 hemodynamically stable patients with CTPA-confirmed acute PE in whom CTPP was performed as part of routine clinical practice. We calculated the difference between the mean PDS in patients with versus without chest pain, dyspnea, and hemoptysis and 7-day adverse outcome. Multivariable logistic regression analysis and likelihood-ratio test were used to assess the added predictive value of PDS to CTPA parameters of right ventricle dysfunction and total thrombus load, for intensive care unit admission, reperfusion therapy and PE-related death. Results We found no correlation between PDS and clinical symptoms. PDS was correlated to reperfusion therapy (n = 4 with 16% higher PDS, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.5–28%) and PE-related mortality (n = 2 with 22% higher PDS, 95% CI: 4.9–38). Moreover, PDS had an added predictive value to CTPA assessment for PE-related mortality (from Chi-square 14 to 19, p = 0.02). Conclusion CTPP-assessed PDS was not correlated to clinical presentation of acute PE. However, PDS was correlated to reperfusion therapy and PE-related mortality and had an added predictive value to CTPA-reading for PE-related mortality; this added value needs to be demonstrated in larger studies.

Initial Treatment of Pulmonary Embolism

2007 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 95-101
Author(s):  
Alastair Proudfoot ◽  
◽  
Helen Yarranton ◽  
Simon Gibbs ◽  
Derek Bell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pulmonary Embolism ◽  
Initial Treatment ◽  
Acute Pulmonary Embolism ◽  
Inferior Vena ◽  
Previous Article ◽  
Diagnostic Approach ◽  
Inferior Vena Caval ◽  
Common Presentation ◽  
In Pregnancy

Acute pulmonary embolism (PE) is a common presentation on the acute medical take. In our previous article in Vol 6 issue 1 we discussed the diagnostic approach to this condition. This article concentrates on the treatment of PE, including guidance for treatment of PE in pregnancy and cancer. This article also discusses the role of alternative anticoagulants, thrombolysis, surgery and inferior vena caval filters.

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