Abstract
Background
Although various echocardiographic parameters of right ventricular dysfunction (RVD) were reported to be of prognostic value in normotensive patients with acute pulmonary embolism (APE), an optimal definition of RVD on echocardiography is missing.
Purpose
We performed a direct comparison of prognostic value of RV/LV ratio, TAPSE, and TRPG/TAPSE for complicated clinical course that included: in-hospital APE related mortality, hemodynamic collapse or rescue thrombolysis.
Methods
Prospective cohorts of APE patients normotensive at admission, managed according to the ESC Guidelines 2014 were merged in a collaborative database. Transthoracic echocardiography was performed at admission, as soon as possible. All studied parameters were available in each patient. AUC in ROC analysis were assessed for each parameter and were compared between them. Multivariable Cox regression analysis was performed to assess the combination of echo-parameters.
Results
Overall, 490 pts were included in the study (229F), aged 64±18 years. Clinical endpoint occurred in 31 pts including 8 APE related deaths. AUC for SAE of RV/LV, TAPSE and TRPG/TAPSE were similar (Figure 1). TAPSE <16mm compared to other echo-parameters showed the highest PPV and NPV (Table 1). Cox regression analysis including SBP, HR, age, elevated troponin and echo-parameters showed that only blood pressure, RV/LV >1 and TAPSE <16mm were identified as independent predictors of outcome (HR 0.98 (95% CI: 0.96–0.99), p=0.03; 2,53 (95% CI: 1.2–5.7), p<0.03 and 3,76 (95% CI: 1.74–8.11), p<0.001).
Table 1. Predictive values of proposed cut offs of echocardiographic parameters Parameter Sensitivity Specificity PPV NPV TAPSE <16mm 52% 85% 18% 96% RV/LV >1.0 74% 63% 12% 95% TAPSE<20 & TRPG/TAPSE >4.5 10% 94% 10% 94%
Figure 1
Conclusions
Although all TAPSE, RV/LV ratio and TRPG/TAPSE showed similar performance for prognosticating of in-hospital outcome in normotensive PE patients, TAPSE<16mm showed the highest predictive value for identification of patients at risk of complicated clinical course.
Raised troponin I in Chinese patients with acute pulmonary embolism suggests complicated clinical course and may predict intensive care unit admission
