Massive pulmonary embolism leading to cardiac arrest is associated with consumptive coagulopathy presenting as disseminated intravascular coagulation.

SUMMARY BACKGROUND: A consumptive coagulopathy resembling disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) has been seen in patients with massive pulmonary embolism (PE). We hypothesized that a DIC-like condition is relevant in patients whose pulmonary embolism leads to cardiopulmonary arrest and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

METHODS: This hypothesis was tested by the use of a database consisting of all cases of PE diagnosed at the Department of Emergency Medicine from June 1993 to October 2007. Out of 1018 cases with PE, 113 patients underwent CPR. In this cohort study, the resuscitated patients were compared with those with PE but without CPR.

RESULTS: Patients with PE and CPR had 3-fold higher D-dimer, prolonged prothrombin time (PT), reduced platelet counts and lower fibrinogen and antithrombin (AT) levels compared with PE patients without cardiac arrest (P < 0.001 for all). Among patients with PE and CPR, D-dimer was abnormal in 100%, PT in 44%, AT in 53%, fibrinogen in 19% and platelets in 25%. In comparison, PE without CPR was associated with abnormal D-dimer in 99%, abnormal PT in 15%, low AT in 6%, low fibrinogen in 1% and low platelets in 2%. Nine per cent of the resuscitated patients had a DIC score >or= 5, indicating overt DIC. The DIC score highly correlated with 1-year and in-hospital mortality.

CONCLUSIONS: Massive PE leading to CPR is associated with consumptive coagulopathy and overt DIC. In resuscitated patients, DIC markers may indicate pulmonary embolism as the underlying cause of arrest.