Role of Cytokines in Predicting Early Major Bleeding in Patients With Acute Pulmonary Embolism

Anticoagulant therapy is critical for venous thromboembolism (VTE) management, though bleeding remains a major concern, ranging from mild to fatal events. This study aimed to assess the predictive value of cytokines for major bleeding in patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE).

In this prospective, observational study, patients aged ≥ 18 years with acute PE were enrolled from April 2021 to September 2022 and followed for 30 days. Exclusion criteria included asymptomatic PE, VTE without PE, and chronic anticoagulation. Major bleeding was defined as bleeding that required ≥ 2 transfused units of red blood cells, occurred in critical areas, or was fatal. Blood samples were collected at diagnosis to measure IL-6, IL-1beta, IL-8, IL-10, and TNF-alpha. Statistical analyses used bivariate and multivariate logistic regression (p < 0.05).

Out of 191 patients (mean age 68.6 years, 52.9% male), 8.4% died, and 4.2% experienced major bleeding within 30 days. IL-8 > 40 pg/mL and TNF-alpha > 8.5 pg/mL were linked to major bleeding. IL-8 > 40 pg/mL independently predicted early major bleeding (adjusted OR 9.40; 95% CI 1.38-63.69). Cox regression showed HRs of 12.60 for IL-8 and 5.61 for TNF-alpha.

High IL-8 levels at diagnosis were predictive of major bleeding in acute PE patients. Further studies are required to confirm these findings.