The timing of death in acute pulmonary embolism patients regarding the mortality risk stratification at admission to the hospital

Abstract

Background: The management of patients with acute pulmonary embolism (aPE) depends on the severity of aPE. The timing of death in various aPE risk subgroups is only partially known. Methods: 1618 patients with an objectively established aPE diagnosis with computed tomography pulmonary angiography enrolled in the regional PE registry were included in the study. According to ESC criteria, patients were stratified at admission to the hospital in four risk strata. The timing of PE-related and non-PE-related deaths was analyzed regarding mortality risk. Results: PE-related, and non-PE-related hospital death rates were 1.1 % and 1.5 % in low, 1.1 % and 4.8 % in intermediate-low, 8.1 % and 5.9 % in intermediate-high, and 27.7 % and 6.9 % in high-risk groups, respectively. The median time of PE-related and non-PE-related death across the PE mortality risk were: 4 (1.7–7.5) and 7.0 (4–14.7) days in low, 1.5 (1.0–9.5) and 11.5 (2.0–21.0) days in intermediate-low, 4.0 (2.0–9.0) and 9.0 (5.7–18.2) days in intermediate-high, 2.0 (1.0–4.75) and 7.0 (3.0–21.2) days in high-risk subgroups. 48.2 % and 17.1 % of patients who died in the high and intermediate-high risks died during the first hospital day. After the 6th hospitalization day, PE-related deaths were recorded in 43.9 % of deaths from intermediate-high and 17.9 % from high-risk subgroups. Conclusion: PE-related mortality is prominent on the first hospitalization day in high and intermediate-high-risk PE. A substantial proportion of intermediate-high and high-risk patient's PE deaths occurred after the first 6 days of hospitalization.