Table 1.
Inclusion criteria for signs, symptoms, and risk factors for PE
| Signs or symptoms for PE (at least one required for inclusion) | |
|---|---|
| New onset dyspnea (58%*) | Pulse ≥ 90 beats/minute (34%) |
| Dyspnea worse than baseline (16%) | Dizziness (19%) |
| Pleuritic chest pain (39%) | Confusion/Altered mental status (4%) |
| Upper abdominal pain (9%) | Respiratory rate > 20 breaths/minute |
| Upper back pain (12%) | Cough (38%) |
| Syncope (3%) | Patient or clinician observation of unilateral limb swelling (9%) |
| Near Syncope (4%) | Any pulse oximetry reading < 95% (13%) |
| Hemoptysis (3%) | |
| Risk Factors for PE (at least one required for inclusion) | |
| Age >49 years (67%) | Chronic neuromuscular disease with immobility (<1%) |
| Surgery (within previous 4 weeks requiring general endotracheal anesthesia) (16%) | Body mass index > 36 kg/m2 (24%) |
| Bed rest of hospitalization > 72 hours(18%) | Stroke, MI or arterial embolism within previous 30 days (2%) |
| Current hospitalization for > 11 hours trauma (2%) | Congestive heart failure (8%) |
| Trauma requiring hospitalization within the previous 2 weeks (2%) | Active intravenous recreational drug use (<1%) |
| Personal history of thrombophilia (2%) | Current DVT within past 3 months without known PE (5%) |
| Active malignancy (currently under the care of an oncologist for treatment) (14%) | Active connective tissue disease (lupus, MCTD, scleroderma) (5%) |
| Any exogenous estrogen use (9%) | Focal infection requiring hospitalization or observation (8%) |
| Post-partum status (within past 2 weeks) (2%) | Indwelling deep vein catheter or port (excludes pacemaker wire) (9%) |
| Immobilization of an ankle, knee, hip or shoulder for > 48 hours within the past 7 days (4%) | Hemodialysis-dependent renal failure (within past 2 weeks) (2%) |
| Paralysis of one or more limbs from prior stroke or spinal cord injury (<1%) | Any prior venous thromboembolism (16%) |
*
Percentage of n=678 with complete data with the feature present