scholarly journals D-Dimer Level and Neutrophils Count as Predictive and Prognostic Factors of Pulmonary Embolism in Severe Non-ICU COVID-19 Patients

Viruses ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 758
Author(s):  
Benjamin Thoreau ◽  
Joris Galland ◽  
Maxime Delrue ◽  
Marie Neuwirth ◽  
Alain Stepanian ◽  
...  

The incidence of pulmonary embolism (PE) is high during severe Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). We aimed to identify predictive and prognostic factors of PE in non-ICU hospitalized COVID-19 patients. In the retrospective multicenter observational CLOTVID cohort, we enrolled patients with confirmed RT-PCR COVID-19 who were hospitalized in a medicine ward and also underwent a CT pulmonary angiography for a PE suspicion. Baseline data, laboratory biomarkers, treatments, and outcomes were collected. Predictive and prognostics factors of PE were identified by using logistic multivariate and by Cox regression models, respectively. A total of 174 patients were enrolled, among whom 86 (median [IQR] age of 66 years [55–77]) had post-admission PE suspicion, with 30/86 (34.9%) PE being confirmed. PE occurrence was independently associated with the lack of long-term anticoagulation or thromboprophylaxis (OR [95%CI], 72.3 [3.6–4384.8]) D-dimers ≥ 2000 ng/mL (26.3 [4.1–537.8]) and neutrophils ≥ 7.0 G/L (5.8 [1.4–29.5]). The presence of these two biomarkers was associated with a higher risk of PE (p = 0.0002) and death or ICU transfer (HR [95%CI], 12.9 [2.5–67.8], p < 0.01). In hospitalized non-ICU severe COVID-19 patients with clinical PE suspicion, the lack of anticoagulation, D-dimers ≥ 2000 ng/mL, neutrophils ≥ 7.0 G/L, and these two biomarkers combined might be useful predictive markers of PE and prognosis, respectively.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ghufran Aref Saeed ◽  
Waqar Haider Gaba ◽  
Abd Al Kareem Mohd Adi ◽  
Reima Obaid Al Marshoodi ◽  
Safaa Saeed Al Mazrouei ◽  
...  

Purpose. Our aim is to identify the prevalence and distribution of pulmonary thromboembolism in COVID-19 infected patients in our hospital. Materials and Methods. Data of all patients with COVID-19 infection either on RT-PCR testing or non-contrast high resolution CT(HRCT) who had CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA) from April to June 2020 were included. 133 patients were initially included in the study, 7 were excluded according to exclusion criteria, leaving a total number of 126 patients. Results. Twenty (15.8%) patients had evidence of pulmonary embolism (PE) on CTPA with mean age of 50 years (range 31-85) of which 95% were males. The mean D-dimer was 5.61mcg/mL among the PE-negative and 14.49 mcg/mL in the PE-positive groups respectively. Among the patients with evidence of pulmonary embolism on CTP, almost half required admission to intensive care unit in comparison to only one-fifth with negative CTPA. One-fourth died among the PE positive group with only 5% died among the PE negative group. There was a 33% reduction in the development of PE in the COVID-19 patients who had received low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) prior to their CTPA study versus those who had not. Conclusion. D-dimer correlates well with the incidence of pulmonary embolism among COVID-19 patients. Our data suggest that majority of our patients, developed pulmonary embolisms within 5 days into their hospital stay, accounting to almost two thirds of all positive cases diagnosed by CTPA. Those with PE among COVID-19 patients have high chances of ICU admission and mortality. Use of thromboprophylaxis early on might reduce the incidence of PE.


Author(s):  
Sultan Aldosari ◽  
Zhonghua Sun

Background: The aim of this study is to perform a systematic review of the feasibility and clinical application of double low-dose CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA) in the diagnosis of patients with suspected pulmonary embolism. Discussion: A total of 13 studies were found to meet selection criteria reporting both low radiation dose (70 or 80 kVp versus 100 or 120 kVp) and low contrast medium dose CTPA protocols. Lowdose CTPA resulted in radiation dose reduction from 29.6% to 87.5% in 12 studies (range: 0.4 to 23.5 mSv), while in one study, radiation dose was increased in the dual-energy CT group when compared to the standard 120 kVp group. CTPA with use of low contrast medium volume (range: 20 to 75 ml) was compared to standard CTPA (range: 50 to 101 ml) in 12 studies with reduction between 25 and 67%, while in the remaining study, low iodine concentration was used with 23% dose reduction achieved. Quantitative assessment of image quality (in terms of signal-to-noise ratio and contrast-to-noise ratio) showed that low-dose CTPA was associated with higher, lower and no change in image quality in 3, 3 and 6 studies, respectively when compared to the standard CTPA protocol. The subjective assessment indicated similar image quality in 11 studies between low-dose and standard CTPA groups, and improved image quality in 1 study with low-dose CTPA. Conclusion: This review shows that double low-dose CTPA is feasible in the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism with significant reductions in both radiation and contrast medium doses, without compromising diagnostic image quality.


Author(s):  
Mohamed Hossameldin khalifa ◽  
Ahmed Samir ◽  
Ayman Ibrahim Baess ◽  
Sara Samy Hendawi

Abstract Background Vascular angiopathy is suggested to be the major cause of silent hypoxia among COVID-19 patients without severe parenchymal involvement. However, pulmonologists and clinicians in intensive care units become confused when they encounter acute respiratory deterioration with neither severe parenchymal lung involvement nor acute pulmonary embolism. Other radiological vascular signs might solve this confusion. This study investigated other indirect vascular angiopathy signs on CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA) and involved a novel statistical analysis that was performed to determine the significance of associations between these signs and the CT opacity score of the pathological lung volume, which is calculated by an artificial intelligence system. Results The study was conducted retrospectively, during September and October 2020, on 73 patients with critical COVID-19 who were admitted to the ICU with progressive dyspnea and low O2 saturation on room air (PaO2 < 93%). They included 53 males and 20 females (73%:27%), and their age ranged from 18 to 88 years (mean ± SD=53.3 ± 13.5). CT-pulmonary angiography was performed for all patients, and an artificial intelligence system was utilized to quantitatively assess the diseased lung volume. The radiological data were analyzed by three expert consultant radiologists to reach consensus. A low CT opacity score (≤10) was found in 18 patients (24.7%), while a high CT opacity score (>10) was found in 55 patients (75.3%). Pulmonary embolism was found in 24 patients (32.9%); three of them had low CT opacity scores. Four other indirect vasculopathy CTPA signs were identified: (1) pulmonary vascular enlargement (57 patients—78.1%), (2) pulmonary hypertension (14 patients—19.2%), (3) vascular tree-in-bud pattern (10 patients—13.7%), and (4) pulmonary infarction (three patients—4.1%). There were no significant associations between these signs and the CT opacity score (0.3205–0.7551, all >0.05). Furthermore, both pulmonary vascular enlargement and the vascular tree-in-bud sign were found in patients without pulmonary embolism and low CT-severity scores (13/15–86.7% and 2/15–13.3%, respectively). Conclusion Pulmonary vascular enlargement or, less commonly, vascular tree-in-bud pattern are both indirect vascular angiopathy signs on CTPA that can explain the respiratory deterioration which complicates COVID-19 in the absence of severe parenchymal involvement or acute pulmonary embolism.


Author(s):  
Aya Yassin ◽  
Maryam Ali Abdelkader ◽  
Rehab M. Mohammed ◽  
Ahmed M. Osman

Abstract Background Pulmonary embolism (PE) is one of the known sequels of COVID-19 infection. We aimed to assess the incidence of PE in patients with COVID-19 infection and to evaluate the relationship between the CT severity of the disease and the laboratory indicators. This was a retrospective study conducted on 96 patients with COVID-19 infection proved by positive PCR who underwent CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA) with a calculation of the CT severity of COVID-19 infection. Available patients’ complaint and laboratory data at the time of CTPA were correlated with PE presence and disease severity. Results Forty patients (41.7%) showed positive PE with the median time for the incidence of PE which was 12 days after onset of the disease. No significant correlation was found between the incidence of PE and the patients’ age, sex, laboratory results, and the CT severity of COVID-19. A statistically significant relation was found between the incidence of PE and the patients’ desaturation, hemoptysis, and chest pain. A highly significant correlation was found between the incidence of PE and the rising in the D-dimer level as well as the progressive CT findings when compared to the previous one. Conclusion CT progression and the rising in D-dimer level are considered the most important parameters suggesting underlying PE in patients with positive COVID-19 infection which is commonly seen during the second week of infection and alert the use of CT pulmonary angiography to exclude or confirm PE. This is may help in improving the management of COVID-19 infection.


2006 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 434-446 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clifford R. Weiss ◽  
John C. Scatarige ◽  
Gregory B. Diette ◽  
Edward F. Haponik ◽  
Barry Merriman ◽  
...  

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nick Kennedy ◽  
Sisira Jayathissa ◽  
Paul Healy

Aims. To study the use of CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA) at Hutt Hospital and investigate the use of pretest probability scoring in the assessment of patients with suspected pulmonary embolism (PE).Methods. We studied patients with suspected PE that underwent CTPA between January and May 2012 and collected data on demographics, use of pretest probability scoring, and use of D Dimer and compared our practice with the British Thoracic Society (BTS) guideline.Results. 105 patients underwent CTPA and 15% of patients had PE. 13% of patients had a Wells score prior to their scan. Wells score calculated by researchers revealed 54%, 36%, and 8% patients had low, medium, and high risk pretest probabilities and 8%, 20%, and 50% of these patients had positive scans. D Dimer was performed in 58% of patients and no patients with a negative D Dimer had a PE.Conclusion. The CTPA positive rate was similar to other contemporary studies but lower than previous New Zealand studies and some international guidelines. Risk stratification of suspected PE using Wells score and D Dimer was underutilised. A number of scans could have been safely avoided by using accepted guidelines reducing resources use and improving patient safety.


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