Evaluation of real-world use of pulmonary embolism thrombolysis: ERUPT

International guidelines recommend systemic thrombolysis for high-risk acute pulmonary embolism (PE). Significant uncertainties remain regarding thrombolysis in non-high-risk PE and the use of reduced-dose thrombolysis. To address this, UK respiratory trainees led a multicentre UK-wide study assessing current practice. Our primary aim was to evaluate UK practice against the European Society of Cardiology recommendations (specifically to utilise full-dose thrombolysis only in high-risk PE). Secondary outcomes included mortality and an analysis of clinical factors associated with administrating reduced-dose thrombolysis.

This was a retrospective multicentre observational study evaluating thrombolysis of acute PE from September 2021 to September 2022 in 26 centres across the UK.

A total of 174 patients from 26 sites were included, with fibrinolytic dose recorded in 168 (96.6%) cases. After exclusion of 30 cases involving cardiac arrest, 26 out of 138 patients (18.8%) received reduced-dose thrombolysis. 67 (39.9%) patients underwent thrombolysis for non-high-risk PE. Factors associated with receiving reduced-dose thrombolysis included higher age (p=0.005), higher Charlson comorbidity index (p=0.008) and higher serum lactate (p=0.02).

PE thrombolysis in the UK deviates from international guidelines in a significant minority of cases; comprising the use of reduced-dose regimens and thrombolysis in non-high-risk cases without haemodynamic deterioration. Prospective real-world studies, assessing clinical practice and outcomes following thrombolysis, should be conducted to understand the pragmatic application of evidence and inform future guidelines.