Pulmonary embolism in acute medicine: a case-based review incorporating latest guidelines in the COVID-19 era

2020 ◽  
Vol 81 (6) ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Stevenson ◽  
Sarah Davis ◽  
Nick Murch
Keyword(s):  
Pulmonary Embolism ◽  
Risk Stratification ◽  
Acute Pulmonary Embolism ◽  
Severe Disease ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Risk Scores ◽  
Pulmonary Vasculature ◽  
Catheter Directed Thrombolysis ◽  
Imaging Results ◽  
Venous Thromboembolic Events

Pulmonary embolism remains an important cause of morbidity and mortality in the UK, particularly following the outbreak of the novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19), where those infected have an increased prevalence of venous thromboembolic events. The pathophysiology in COVID-19 patients is thought to relate to a thromboinflammatory state within the pulmonary vasculature, triggered by the infection, but other risk factors such as reduced mobility, prolonged immobilisation and dehydration are likely to contribute. Several societies have released comprehensive guidelines emphasising the importance of risk stratification in patients with acute pulmonary embolism. They advocate the use of clinically validated risk scores in conjunction with biochemical and imaging results. Patients with mild disease can now be managed in the outpatient setting and with newly developed therapies, such as catheter-directed thrombolysis, becoming available in more centres, treatment options for those with more severe disease are also expanding. This article presents four theoretical but realistic cases, each diagnosed with acute pulmonary embolism, but differing in levels of severity. These demonstrate how the guidelines can be applied in a clinical setting, with particular focus on risk stratification and management.

scholarly journals Association of risk stratification and mortality outcomes in patients of acute pulmonary embolism

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (9) ◽  
pp. 1400
Author(s):  
Jit H. Brahmbhatt ◽  
Zeeshan H. Mansuri ◽  
Roopesh R. Singhal
Keyword(s):  
Pulmonary Embolism ◽  
Risk Stratification ◽  
Acute Pulmonary Embolism ◽  
Signs And Symptoms ◽  
High Risk Group ◽  
Intermediate Risk ◽  
Atypical Chest Pain ◽  
Systemic Thrombolysis ◽  
Catheter Directed Thrombolysis ◽  
Acute Pulmonary Thromboembolism

Background: To study the association of risk stratification and mortality outcomes of patients with high/intermediate risk acute pulmonary embolism who are given the guideline directed therapy after the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism.Methods: Prospective observational study of demographics, clinical profile, risk stratification, management and outcome of patients presenting with acute pulmonary embolism from October 2019to December 2020. Risk stratification was done as per ESC 2019 guidelines into high and intermediate categories, intermediate category patients were further stratified into intermediate-high and intermediate-low-risks.Results: 100 patients who were detected to have acute pulmonary thromboembolism with a mean age of 45.08 years with 60% being males were included in the study. There were 31 patients in high-risk group, 59 patients in intermediate-high subgroup, 10 patients in intermediate-low subgroup. Echocardiography was done in all patients. Outcome was relatively grave in these subgroups with overall mortality of 56 patients. 49 patients were thrombolysed with rTPA, 27patients with alteplase, 4 patients with streptokinase, 12patients who had contraindication to systemic thrombolysis were subjected to catheter directed thrombolysis and 8 patients were taken up for surgical embolectomy.Conclusions: Pulmonary embolism can present with unexplained dyspnea and atypical chest pain among other signs and symptoms. Early diagnosis, risk stratification and guideline directed prompt management can lead to favorable outcomes however; patients with high and intermediate risk at presentation are associated with higher mortality rate despite GDT.

Risk Stratification in Acute Pulmonary Embolism: The Latest Algorithms

2021 ◽  
Vol 42 (02) ◽  
pp. 183-198
Author(s):  
Georgios A. Triantafyllou ◽  
Oisin O'Corragain ◽  
Belinda Rivera-Lebron ◽  
Parth Rali
Keyword(s):  
Pulmonary Embolism ◽  
Risk Stratification ◽  
Prediction Models ◽  
Bleeding Risk ◽  
Hemodynamic Instability ◽  
Reperfusion Therapy ◽  
Mortality Prediction ◽  
Risk Scores ◽  
Short Term Mortality ◽  
Urgent Patient

AbstractPulmonary embolism (PE) is a common clinical entity, which most clinicians will encounter. Appropriate risk stratification of patients is key to identify those who may benefit from reperfusion therapy. The first step in risk assessment should be the identification of hemodynamic instability and, if present, urgent patient consideration for systemic thrombolytics. In the absence of shock, there is a plethora of imaging studies, biochemical markers, and clinical scores that can be used to further assess the patients' short-term mortality risk. Integrated prediction models incorporate more information toward an individualized and precise mortality prediction. Additionally, bleeding risk scores should be utilized prior to initiation of anticoagulation and/or reperfusion therapy administration. Here, we review the latest algorithms for a comprehensive risk stratification of the patient with acute PE.

scholarly journals CATHETER DIRECTED THROMBOLYSIS FOR ACUTE PULMONARY EMBOLISM AMONG ELDERLY PATIENTS. A NATIONWIDE ANALYSIS

2021 ◽  
Vol 77 (18) ◽  
pp. 1847
Author(s):  
Ahmed Elkaryoni ◽  
Mahmoud Salem ◽  
Ain Ejaz ◽  
Sorcha Allen ◽  
Joshua Newman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pulmonary Embolism ◽  
Elderly Patients ◽  
Acute Pulmonary Embolism ◽  
Catheter Directed Thrombolysis

Risk Stratification of Acute Pulmonary Embolism

2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yevgeniy Brailovsky ◽  
Sorcha Allen ◽  
Dalila Masic ◽  
David Lakhter ◽  
Sanjum S. Sethi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pulmonary Embolism ◽  
Risk Stratification ◽  
Acute Pulmonary Embolism

Trends in risk stratification, in-hospital management and mortality of patients with acute pulmonary embolism: an analysis from China pUlmonary thromboembolism REgistry Study (CURES)

2021 ◽  
pp. 2002963
Author(s):  
Zhenguo Zhai ◽  
Dingyi Wang ◽  
Jieping Lei ◽  
Yuanhua Yang ◽  
Xiaomao Xu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pulmonary Embolism ◽  
Risk Stratification ◽  
Hospital Mortality ◽  
Acute Pulmonary Embolism ◽  
Severity Index ◽  
Disease Diagnosis ◽  
Initial Therapy ◽  
European Respiratory Society ◽  
Systemic Thrombolysis ◽  
All Cause Mortality

BackgroundSimilar trends of management and in-hospital mortality of acute pulmonary embolism (PE) have been reported in European and American populations. However, these tendencies were not clear in Asian countries.ObjectivesWe retrospectively analyzed the trends of risk stratification, management and in-hospital mortality for patients with acute PE through a multicenter registry in China (CURES).MethodsAdult patients with acute symptomatic PE were included between 2009 and 2015. Trends in disease diagnosis, treatment and death in hospital were fully analyzed. Risk stratification was retrospectively classified by hemodynamical status and the simplified Pulmonary Embolism Severity Index (sPESI) score according to the 2014 European Society of Cardiology/European Respiratory Society guidelines.ResultsAmong overall 7438 patients, the proportions with high (hemodynamically instability), intermediate (sPESI≥1) and low (sPESI=0) risk were 4.2%, 67.1% and 28.7%, respectively. Computed tomographic pulmonary angiography was the widely employed diagnostic approach (87.6%) and anticoagulation was the frequently adopted initial therapy (83.7%). Between 2009 and 2015, a significant decline was observed for all-cause mortality (from 3.1% to 1.3%, adjusted Pfor trend=0.0003), with a concomitant reduction in use of initial systemic thrombolysis (from 14.8% to 5.0%, Pfor trend<0.0001). The common predictors for all-cause mortality shared by hemodynamically stable and unstable patients were co-existing cancer, older age, and impaired renal function.ConclusionsThe considerable reduction of mortality over years was accompanied by changes of initial treatment. These findings highlight the importance of risk stratification-guided management throughout the nation.

Abstract 13317: Acute Pulmonary Embolism in Covid-19 Patients: Presenting Characteristics, Outcomes and Risk Stratification Strategies

Circulation ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 142 (Suppl_3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hai Xu ◽  
Angel Martin ◽  
Avneet SINGH ◽  
Mangala Narasimhan ◽  
Joe Lau ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pulmonary Embolism ◽  
Intensive Care ◽  
Mortality Rate ◽  
Length Of Stay ◽  
Risk Stratification ◽  
Clinical Outcomes ◽  
Acute Pulmonary Embolism ◽  
Severe Bleeding ◽  
Study Cohort ◽  
D Dimer

Introduction: Pulmonary Embolism in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients have been increasingly reported in observational studies. However, limited knowledge describing their diagnostic features and clinical outcomes exist to date. Our study aims to systemically analyze their clinical characteristics and to investigate strategies for risk stratification. Methods: We retrospectively studied 101 patients with concurrent diagnoses of acute pulmonary embolism and COVID-19 infection, admitted at two tertiary hospitals within the Northwell Health System in New York City area. Clinical features including laboratory and imaging findings, therapeutic interventions, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, mortality and length of stay were recorded. D-dimer values were respectively documented at COVID-19 and PE diagnoses for comparison. Pulmonary Severity Index (PESI) scores were used for risk stratification of clinical outcomes. Results: The most common comorbidities were hypertension (50%), obesity (27%) and hyperlipidemia (32%) among our study cohort. Baseline D-dimer abnormalities (4647.0 ± 8281.8) were noted on admission with a 3-fold increase at the time of PE diagnosis (13288.4 ± 14917.9; p<0.05). 5 (5%) patients required systemic thrombolysis and 12 (12%) patients experienced moderate to severe bleeding. 31 (31%) patients developed acute kidney injury (AKI) and 1 (1%) patient required renal replacement therapy. Throughout hospitalization, 23 (23%) patients were admitted to intensive care units, of which 20 (20%) patients received invasive mechanical ventilation. The overall mortality rate was 20%. Majority of patients (65%) had Intermediate to high risk PESI scores (>85), which portended a worse prognosis with higher mortality rate and length of stay. Conclusions: This study provides characteristics and early outcomes for hospitalized patients with COVID-19 and acute pulmonary embolism. D-dimer levels and PESI scores may be utilized to risk stratify and guide management in this patient population. Our results should serve to alert the medical community to heighted vigilance of this VTE complication associated with COVID-19 infection, despite the preliminary and retrospective nature inherent to this study.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document