ObjectivesTo evaluate the effects of Pulmonary Embolism Response Team (PERT) on treatment strategies and long-term prognosis in patients with acute pulmonary embolism before and after the implementation of the first PERT in China. Methods The official start of PERT (July 2017) was took as the cut-off point, all APE patients who attended Beijing Anzhen Hospital of Capital Medical University one year before and after this cut-off time were included through the hospital electronic medical record system. The APE patients who received traditional treatment from July 5, 2016 to July 4, 2017 were recruited in the control group (Pre-PERT group), and the APE patients who received PERT mode treatment from July 5, 2017 to July 4, 2018 were recruited as the intervention group (Post-PERT group). Treatment methods during hospitalization were compared between the two groups. The patients were followed up for one year after discharge to evaluate their anticoagulant therapy, follow-up compliance and long-term prognosis. Results A total of 108 cases in the Pre-PERT group and 102 cases in the Post-PERT group were included. There was no significant statistical difference between the two groups in age and gender (both P>0.05). Anticoagulation therapy (87.3% vs. 81.5%, P=0.251), catheter-directed treatment (3.9% vs. 2.8%, P=0.644), inferior vena cava filters (1.0% vs. 1.9%, P=1.000), surgical embolectomy (2.0% vs. 0.9%, P=0.613), systemic thrombolysis (3.9% vs. 4.6%, P=0.582) were performed in both groups with no significant differences between the two groups. The use rate of rivaroxaban in the Post-PERT group was higher than that in the Pre-PERT group at one year of discharge, and the use rate of warfarin was lower than that of the Pre-PERT group (54.5% vs. 32.5%; 43.6% vs. 59.0%, P=0.043). The anticoagulation time of the Post-PERT group was longer than that of the Pre-PERT group (11.9 months vs. 10.3 months, P<0.001). The all-cause mortality within one year, hemorrhagic events and the rate of rehospitalization due to pulmonary embolism were not significantly different between the two groups, (10.4% vs. 8.6%), (14.3% vs. 14.8%), and (1.3% vs. 2.5%, χ2=3.453, P=0.485), respectively. Conclusions APE treatment was still dominated by anticoagulation and conventional treatment at the early stage of PERT implementation, and advanced treatment (catheter-directed treatment and surgical embolectomy) is improved, it showed an expanding trend after only one year of implementation although there was no statistical difference. At follow-up, there is no increase in one-year all-cause mortality and bleeding events with a slight increase in advanced treatment after PERT implementation.
Objective To analyze the clinical features of rickettsial infection complicated with pulmonary embolism and to improve clinicians’ knowledge of rickettsial infection complicated by thromboembolism events. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of a patient with pulmonary thromboembolism complicated by Rickettsial felis infection and conducted a review of the relevant literature. The search terms "Rickettsia/Scrub typhus, thrombosis" or "Rickettsia/ Scrub typhus, embolism" were used to search the Wanfang ,VIP ,Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure and PubMed databases from January 1985 to May 2023, respectively. Results The 81-year-old male patient was admitted to the hospital on June 1, 2021 due to "dizziness, sore throat for 11 days, fever for 7 days, and shortness of breath for 3 days". Physical examination revealed a eschar-like rash behind the left ear, venous thrombosis in both lower limbs was detected by color ultrasound, computed tomographic pulmonary angiography indicated multiple pulmonary embolism in both lungs, and positive rickettsiae on peripheral blood next-generation sequencing, confirming the diagnosis of Rickettsial felis infection complicated by venous thromboembolism (VTE) in both lower limbs and pulmonary embolism. Twenty manuscripts, including 20 cases, were retrieved from databases. Among them, Rickettsial felis infection combined with thromboembolism event was not found. With the addition of our case, a total of 21 cases were analyzed in detail. Six of the 21 cases were complicated with VTE, 10 with pulmonary embolism, 5 with intracranial venous thrombosis, 6 with thrombosis at other sites (jugular venous thrombosis, mesenteric thrombosis, aortic thrombosis, etc), and 8 of which had concurrently involved systemic thrombosis. Of the 4 deaths, 2 cases had mesenteric embolism, 1 case had cerebral infarction, and 1 case had systemic multiple thrombus. Conclusions Rickettsial infection symptoms and signs are often atypical, can be complicated with lower limb VTE or pulmonary embolism. Early identification, diagnosis and treatment are very important, especially for patients with dyspnea, chest pain and other related symptoms.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the predictive value of the high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI) in patients with acute pulmonary embolism (APE).
MethodsIn a retrospective cohort study,272 consecutive patients with APE were reviewed and the 30-days death and in-hospital adverse events were evaluated. The patients were classified according to hs-cTnI value into a high hs-cTnI group and a low hs-cTnI group. The simple pulmonary embolism severity index (sPESI) was used for clinical risk determination. The adverse event was defined as intravenous thrombolytic therapy,noninvasive ventilator support to maintain oxygen saturation >90% and suffered with severe complications. The correlations of hs-cTnI with sPESI score,30-days adverse events and mortality were analyzed. The Kaplan-Meier curves and the log-rank test were used to compare time-to-event survival. Stepwise multivariate logistic regression analysis models were used to determine the incremental prognostic value of sPESI score and hs-cTnI.
ResultsThe incidence of 30-day death (6.1%),renal failure (14.6%),bleeding (13.4%) and thrombolytic therapy (7.9%) were higher in the high hs-cTnI group than those in the low hs-cTnI group (P values were 0.009,<0.001,0.018 and 0.003,respectively). The patients with sPESI ≥1 and low hs-cTnI had greater free adverse events survival (P=0.005). hs-cTnI provided incremental predictive value for in-hospital adverse events,beyond the sPESI score (P<0.001).
Conclusionhs-cTnI has excellent negative predictive value of APE prognosis,especially when used combined with sPESI score.
Objective To investigate the value of fibrinogen to albumin ratio (FAR) combined with pulmonary embolism severity index (PESI) in the assessment of severity and prognosis of patients with acute pulmonary thromboembolism (APTE). Methods A retrospective study of hospitalized patients with confirmed APTE admitted to the Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University from September 2013 to August 2021, divided into low-risk, intermediate-risk, and high-risk groups according to the Guidelines for the Diagnosis, Treatment and Prevention of Pulmonary Thromboembolism, and divided into survival groups and death groups according to the 30-day prognosis. The general data of all patients and relevant blood laboratory tests within 2 hours after admission were collected to calculate PESI and FAR. FAR and PESI levels were compared in APTE patients with different severity of disease and different prognosis. Independent risk factors for 30-day mortality in APTE patients were analyzed using logistic regression. Subject working characteristic curves were drawn to assess the differences in sensitivity, specificity and area under the curve of FAR, PESI and FAR combined with PESI in predicting 30-day death. Results Total of 235 APTE patients were included, divided into 85 in the low-risk group, 110 in the intermediate-risk group, and 40 in the high-risk group; 192 in the survival group and 43 in the death group according to 30-day survival. The differences in age, albumin (ALB), high-sensitivity troponin, D-dimer, fibrinogen (FIB), FAR, and PESI of APTE patients with different disease severity were statistically significant (P<0.05). FAR increased progressively with increasing severity of disease (P<0.05), and correlation analysis showed a positive correlation between FAR and PESI (r=0.614, P<0.05). Elevated FIB, FAR, PESI and decreased ALB were independent risk factors for 30-day death in patients with APTE (P<0.05). FAR, PESI, and FAR combined with PESI all had predictive value for 30-day death in APTE patients, and FAR combined with PESI predicted the largest area under the 30-day death curve. Conclusions FAR correlated with the severity and prognosis of APTE patients. FAR combined with PESI was more valuable in assessing the 30-day prognosis of APTE patients than FAR alone or PESI alone.
Objective To explore the causal association between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and venous thromboembolism (VTE). Methods Using the summary statistical data from the FinnGen biological sample library and IEU OpenGWAS database, the relationship between OSA and VTE, including deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism, was explored through Mendelian randomization (MR) method, with inverse variance weighted (IVW) as the main analysis method. Results The results of univariate MR analysis using IVW method showed that OSA was associated with VTE and pulmonary embolism (P<0.05), with odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals of 1.204 (1.067, 1.351) and 1.352 (1.179, 1.544), respectively. There was no correlation with DVT (P>0.05). Multivariate MR analysis showed that after adjustment for confounding factors (smoking, diabetes, obesity and cancer), OSA was associated with VTE, DVT and pulmonary embolism (P<0.05), with odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals of 1.168 (1.053, 1.322), 1.247 (1.064, 1.491) and 1.158 (1.021, 1.326), respectively. Conclusion OSA increases the risk of VTE, DVT, and pulmonary embolism.
ObjectiveTo explore the diagnostic value of the bedside echocardiogram for different risk stratification of patients with suspected pulmonary embolism.
MethodsPatients with suspected pulmonary embolism in the emergency department of the Second Afflicted Hospital Xi'an Jiaotong University between July 2013 to December 2015 were included. According the Wells scores, they were divided into a low risk group (0-2 points), a intermediate risk group (3-6 points) and a high risk group (>6 points). All patients were underwent the bedside echocardiogram diagnosis, and the diagnostic value of the echocardiography for pulmonary embolism, the characteristics of different risk stratification of patients were analyzed by SPSS 18.0 software.
Results115 patients with suspected pulmonary embolism were included, of which 20 were in the low risk group, 73 were in the medium risk group, and 22 were in the high risk group. The incidence of pulmonary embolism among the three groups was significantly different (high-risk vs. medium risk vs. low-risk: 90.9% vs. 76.7% vs. 15.0%, P<0.05), and the higher Wells scores gets, the greater possibility of having the pulmonary embolism. For the intermediate-risk group, the incidence of pulmonary embolism was significantly higher in patients with positive ultrasonic results than those with the negative ultrasonic results (87.3% vs. 44.4%, P<0.05). The predication of the ultrasonic positive and the negative in the low and high risk groups had no statistical differences (P>0.05). The result of echocardiogram showed that the right ventricular end-diastolic diameter, right ventricular end-diastolic transverse diameter, right atrial end-diastolic transverse diameter, RV/LV, RA/LA in the high risk group and the intermediate risk group were significantly higher than those in the low risk group (all P values <0.05). The right ventricular anterior wall activity in the low risk group was higher than that in the high risk group (P<0.05), but this difference was not found between the high risk group and the intermediate risk group.
ConclusionBedside echocardiogram can be used as the diagnosis and differential diagnosis methods of suspected pulmonary embolism, and it has relatively higher diagnostic value for intermediate to high risk patients predicted by the Wells scores than low risk ones.
Objective
To explorer the application value of the inferior vena cava filter (IVCF) implantation in the prevention of recurrent pulmonary embolism (PE).
Methods
Clinical data of 265 inpatients with PE admitted from November 2014 to November 2016 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into an IVCF treatment group (55 cases) and an anticoagulant therapy group (210 cases) according to treatment measure. All patients were followed up for 3 months to 2 years through regular review. The one-year PE and deep vein thrombosis (DVT) recurrence rates, one-year mortality and two-year mortality were compared between two groups.
Results
The PE and DVT recurrence rates were 9.1% and 21.8% in the IVCF treatment group, and were 18.6% and 11.0% in the anticoagulant therapy group, respectively. The PE recurrence rate was lower and the DVT recurrence rate was higher in the IVCF treatment group compared with the anticoagulant therapy group, the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). The one-year mortality (29.1% vs. 12.9%) and two-year mortality (34.5% vs. 14.8%) were significantly higher in the IVCF treatment group than those in the anticoagulant therapy group (P<0.05).
Conclusions
IVCF without anticoagulation can reduce incidence of pulmonary embolism caused by the lower extremity DVT, but will increase DVT recurrence rate. It may be an alternative option for prevention of PE in patients with contraindications to anticoagulant therapy or recurrent PE patients after regular anticoagulant therapy.
Vena cava filter is a filter device designed to prevent pulmonary embolism caused by thrombus detached from lower limbs and pelvis. A new retrievable vena cava filter was designed in this study. To evaluate hemodynamic performance and thrombus capture efficiency after transplanting vena cava filter, numerical simulation of computational fluid dynamics was used to simulate hemodynamics and compare it with the commercialized Denali and Aegisy filters, and in vitro experimental test was performed to compare the thrombus capture effect. In this paper, the two-phase flow model of computational fluid dynamics software was used to analyze the outlet blood flow velocity, inlet-outlet pressure difference, wall shear stress on the wall of the filter, the area ratio of the high and low wall shear stress area and thrombus capture efficiency when the thrombus diameter was 5 mm, 10 mm, 15 mm and thrombus content was 10%, 20%, 30%, respectively. Meanwhile, the thrombus capture effects of the above three filters were also compared and evaluated by in vitro experimental data. The results showed that the Denali filter has minimal interference to blood flow after implantation, but has the worst capture effect on 5 mm small diameter thrombus; the Aegisy filter has the best effect on the trapping of thrombus with different diameters and concentrations, but the low wall shear stress area ratio is the largest; the new filter designed in this study has a good filtering and capture efficiency on small-diameter thrombus, and the area ratio of low wall shear stress which is prone to thrombosis is small. The low wall shear stress area of the Denali and Aegisy filters is relatively large, and the risk of thrombosis is high. Based on the above results, it is expected that the new vena cava filter designed in this paper can provide a reference for the design and clinical selection of new filters.
ObjectiveTo discuss the implantation and conversion technology of convertible inferior vena cava filter and the experience of management.MethodsThe clinical data of 115 patients with convertible inferior vena cava filter implantation admitted to our vascular surgery center from January 2018 to December 2018 was retrospectively analyzed.ResultsAmong the 115 patients with convertible inferior vena cava filter implantation, 74 were males and 41 were females. The ages ranged from 22 to 87 years, with median age 54 years. The successful rate of filter implantation was 100% without any surgical related complications. After implantation surgery, patients were followed up from 4 to 455 days with a median of 90 days and the recurrence rate of adverse events was 7.8% (9/115). The recurrence time were 16 to 104 days after conversion, with a median of 42 days. Twenty-three patients (20.0%) received filter conversion, one of them failed and all the others succeeded. The technical successful rate was 95.7% (22/23). The conversion operative time was 22.8 to 51.4 min, with median time 27.4 min. The intervals between implantation and conversion were from 4 to 455 days, with median time 159 days. Accessory techniques were used in 20 of 22 successful filter conversions and the application rate of accessory technique was 90.9%. The patients were followed-up from 30 to 180 days after conversion with a median time of 90 days and no adverse event was reported.ConclusionConvertible inferior vena cava filter is a significant choice for patients application of inferior vena cava filter due to its high safety of conversion surgery, technical success rate and possibility of conversion after long-term indwelling.
Objective To investigate the risk factors, clinical characteristics and prognostic factors of venous thrombosis (and pulmonary embolism) in patients with idiopathic hypereosinophilia (IHE) so as to provide a theoretical basis for clinical prevention of venous thrombosis and improve prognosis.Methods Thirty-nine patients with IHE admitted to West China Hospital of Sichuan University from January 2010 to January 2022 were collected in this retrospective case-control study to explore the risk factors of venous thrombosis (including pulmonary embolism) and thrombosis recurrence after treatment. Results There were 17 (43.5%) patients combined with venous thrombosis of 39 patients with IHE. In the patients with vascular involvement, pulmonary embolism was the initial expression of IHE accounted for 29% (5/17). patients of IHE with pulmonary embolism were younger [44 (24.5 - 51.0) vs. 56 (46.3 - 67.8) year, P=0.035] and had higher peak absolute eosinophil counts [11.7 (7.2 - 26.5)×109/L vs. 3.8 (2.9 - 6.7)×109/L, P=0.020] than those without pulmonary embolism. After a mean follow-up of 13 months (2 - 21 months), thrombosis recurred in 35.3% (6/17) of patients. Persistent increasing in eosinophils (>0.5×109/L) was an independent risk factor for thrombus recurrence (odds ratio 13.33, 95% confidential interval 1.069 - 166.374). Conclusions Thrombosis is a common vascular impaired complication in IHE , and increased eosinophilia is a risk factor for thrombosis and thrombus recurrence after therapy. Controlling and monitoring the eosinophilic cell levels in patients with IHE may avoid severe comorbidities.
