Correlating pulmonary embolism severity with short term mortality to risk stratify for outpatient management

We ascertain less than 7-day mortality data in suspected pulmonary embolism (PE) in order to risk stratify patients suitable for outpatient imaging.

Retrospective identification of patients presenting to two emergency departments over a two-year period, with a radiologically confirmed PE. PESI and sPESI scores correlated with death at 1, 3, 7, 30 and 90 days.

There was significant correlation between all PESI risk classes and death at 3, 7, 30 and 90 days (p<0.01), but not day 1. No deaths occurred within 1 and 3 days in low risk PESI groups or within 90 days in the low risk sPESI.

PESI/sPESI could be reliably utilized to risk stratify patients being considered for outpatient investigation of PE.