[Regional registry of pulmonary embolism]

Pulmonary embolism (PE) together with coronary heart disease and arterial hypertension are most common diseases of cardiovascular system. Due to its high mortality rate it is worth of attention.

to describe characteristics of patients with PE, provide data about treatment and inpatient mortality rate. Also to identify an occurence of right-sided heart thrombi in patients with PE and efficiency/safety of thrombolytic therapy in this subpopulation. To evaluate effectiveness/importance of basic oncology screening in patients with PE (meaning efficiency of provided examinations to uncover hidden malignancy).

Our registry is based on observation of consecutive patients with PE hospitalized in our hospital (catchment area of Znojmo region, 130,000 inhabitants) since July 2011 until April 2014. We collected data about 188 patients diagnosed with acute or subacute PE by perfusion lung scan, CT angiography or typical symptoms with echocardiography findings.

In the cohort there were 71 men (37.8%) and 117 women (62.2%), average age 66 years (16-94), 72.9% of patients were older than 60 years of age. History of thromboembolic disease was present in 37 patients (19.7%), malignancy in 36 of them (19.1%), signs of deep vein thrombosis in 36 patients (19.1%), hereditary thrombophilia in 11 (5.9%), recent injury with immobilisation in 10 (5.3%), recent surgery in 14 patients (7.4%) and atrial fibrillation in 22 patients (11.7%). Right heart thrombi were found in 3 patients (1.6%) out of 176 who were examined. Hospital mortality rate reached 5.6%, 3 months mortality rate was 9.4% (data collected from 85.1% of all patients) and 1 year mortality rate was 19.1% (data from 61.2% of all patients). An occult cancer was diagnosed during hospital stay only in 3 patients (1.6%), another 6 malignancies manifested themselves after longer period of time. Median length of hospital stay was 7 days. Thrombolysis was used in 14 patients (7.4%). Bleeding complications of anticoagulant or thrombolytic therapy occured in 4 patients (2.1%) during hospital care--epistaxis, severe haematoma of extremities with necessity of surgical treatment and haematemesis in 2 patients. Cerebral hemorrhage was not present in our cohort of patients.

PE isnt rare condition, we can encounter it in various medical fields, but due to its diversity of symptoms and unclear prognosis, it continues to be serious clinical problem. Hospital mortality rate is higher in patients with PE than in those with acute coronary syndrome, which is in accordance with published data. Detection of right-sided heart thrombi is about half of that described in literature. Prevalence of dyspnoe and chest pain are consistent with reported data, but occurence of syncope and hemoptysis in our registry is far less common. Screening of occult cancer could be more effective. The therapy seems to be safe, a life threatening bleeding was not present even when thrombolysis was used.