Follow-up algorithm for detecting chronic sequelae of pulmonary embolism: diagnostic performance and possible...

Survivors of pulmonary embolism (PE) can experience serious long-term complications; a standardized follow-up diagnostic strategy may lead to their early identification.

This study assessed the performance of the European Society of Cardiology guidelines-recommended follow-up algorithm after acute PE.

In a prospective cohort study, consecutive unselected survivors of acute PE underwent comprehensive 3-month follow-up, including clinical assessment, laboratory examination, echocardiography, and cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET). Besides independently adjudicated chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) over 2 years' follow-up, post-PE impairment (PPEI) was prospectively defined as combined echocardiographic with clinical, functional, and laboratory abnormalities.

Of 530 patients, 437 (82.5%) were eligible for echocardiography at the 3-month follow-up as per current guideline recommendations. Of these, 101 (23.1%) had high echocardiographic pulmonary hypertension (PH) probability or intermediate probability with abnormal CPET, natriuretic peptides, or CTEPH risk factors, thus qualifying for ventilation-perfusion scan; these included 9 of 12 confirmed CTEPH cases. Only 2.2% and 2.6% of patients formally not needing echocardiography showed high echocardiographic PH probability and severe cardiopulmonary limitation on CPET, respectively. Of patients fulfilling the guideline indications for echocardiography, most had low echocardiographic PH probability (329/437; 75.3%), and of those who also underwent CPET, 50% showed mild to severe cardiopulmonary limitation. Overall, 54% of patients with PPEI and 3 of 12 patients with confirmed CTEPH were found within the low-probability population, based on echocardiography only.

Currently recommended algorithms primarily identify patients at the upper end of the PE sequelae spectrum. CPET may be necessary for timely recognition of patients at risk or those with milder forms of long-term PPEI.

German Clinical Trials Register Identifier DRKS00005939.