Table 1.
Patient characteristics of study cohort (n = 56).
| Age (years) | 70.5 (61.3–77.8) |
| Male gender | 26 (46.4) |
| Active smoking | 4 (7.1) |
| APACHE II score | 18.0 (16.0–21.0) |
| PESI score | 133.5 (104.5–163.5) |
| Comorbidities | |
| Hypertension | 29 (51.8) |
| Diabetes mellitus | 15 (26.8) |
| Arrhythmia | 10 (17.9) |
| Alzheimer's disease/dementia | 9 (16.1) |
| Congestive heart failure | 8 (14.3) |
| Coronary artery disease | 8 (14.3) |
| Stroke | 8 (14.3) |
| COPD | 4 (7.1) |
| Major symptoms on admission | |
| Dyspnea | 54 (96.4) |
| Pleuritic chest pain | 33 (58.9) |
| Palpitation | 28 (50.0) |
| Confusion | 14 (25.0) |
| Syncope | 12 (21.4) |
| Fever | 10 (17.9) |
| Cough | 10 (17.9) |
| Hemoptysis | 3 (5.4) |
| Electrocardiography findings | |
| Sinus tachycardia | 35 (62.5) |
| New RBBB | 12 (21.4) |
| RV strain | 25 (44.6) |
| S1Q3T3 pattern | 19 (33.9) |
| Echocardiography findings | |
| PA pressure (mmHg) | 50.0 (45.0–60.0) |
| RV dysfunction | 45 (80.4) |
| LV ejection fraction (%) | 55.0 (55.0–60.0) |
| Computer tomography pulmonary angiography findings | |
| Central PE | 46 (82.1) |
| Lobar PE | 10 (17.9) |
| Vessel diameter (mm) | |
| Main PA | 29.8 (27.2–32.9) |
| Right PA | 22.2 (20.1–26.1) |
| Left PA | 23.7 (21.7–26.8) |
| Other findings | |
| Pleural effusion | 21 (37.5) |
| Atelectasis | 20 (35.7) |
| Ground glass appearance | 16 (28.6) |
| Infarct | 16 (28.6) |
| Reticular shadows | 15 (26.8) |
| Consolidation | 13 (23.2) |
| Compression ultrasonography for lower extremities (available in 39 patients) | |
| Acute thrombosis | 10 (19.2) |
| Chronic thrombosis | 22 (42.3) |
All values are expressed as numbers (percentages) or median (interquartile range).
APACHE: acute physiology and chronic health evaluation; COPD: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, ECG: electrocardiography; ICU: intensive care unit; LV: left ventricle; PA: pulmonary artery; PE: pulmonary embolism; PESI: pulmonary emboli severity index; RBBB: right bundle branch block; RV: right ventricle.