Clinical and echocardiographic findings of patients with suspected acute pulmonary thromboembolism who underwent computed tomography pulmonary angiography.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to determine the correlation between clinical and echocardiographic findings and risk factors of patients with suspected acute pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) who underwent computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA).

MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 310 hospitalized patients aged >18 years with high clinical suspicion of PTE referred to imaging center of our hospital from different wards for CTPA were enrolled. The frequency of different clinical presentations, risk factors, items of Wells' criteria, and echocardiographic findings was compared in patients with and without PTE, which have been diagnosed according to the CTPA results.

RESULTS: PTE was diagnosed in 53 (17.1%) of patients with suspected PTE. From clinical manifestations, tachypnea, pleuritic chest pain, and edema of lower extremities were significantly more frequent among patients with PTE ( P < 0.05). Major surgery was the risk factor which was significantly more prevalent among patients with PTE ( P < 0.05). Frequency of all criteria of Wells' criteria, except hemoptysis, was significantly higher in patients with PTE ( P < 0.05). The frequency of all studied echocardiographic variables was significantly higher in patients with PTE ( P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION: It is suggested that we could use the results of this study for utilizing the diagnostic process of PTE in patients with highly clinical suspicion of PTE and providing more validated decision. Using the results of this study, we could identify high-risk patients and made appropriate risk assessment for better management of patients with suspected PTE as well as reduce the rate of unnecessary CTPA and its related adverse consequences.