Table 1.
Comparison of patient characteristics between acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with and without pulmonary embolism
| Patient characteristic | AECOPD with PE (n=14), n (%) | AECOPD with no PE (n=86), n (%) | P |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age in years | |||
| <60 | 3 (21.4) | 28 (32.6) | |
| ≥60 | 11 (78.6) | 58 (67.4) | 0.404 |
| Gender | |||
| Male | 7 (50) | 50 (58) | 0.750 |
| Female | 7 (50) | 36 (42) | 0.750 |
| Smoking | 12 (85.7) | 65 (75.58) | 0.403 |
| Risk factors for PE | |||
| Recent surgery | 4 (28.5) | 20 (23.2) | 0.750 |
| Recent trauma | 3 (21.4) | 16 (18.6) | 0.900 |
| Active malignancy | 3 (21.4) | 11 (12.8) | 0.500 |
| Previous history of VTE | 5 (35.7) | 11 (12.8) | 0.030 |
| Comorbid illnesses | |||
| Hypertension | 13 (92.85) | 48 (55.8) | 0.008 |
| Diabetes mellitus | 3 (21.42) | 26 (30.2) | 0.5008 |
| Obesity | 3 (21.42) | 24 (28.9) | 0.612 |
| Stage of COPD (GOLD) | |||
| Stage II | 3 (21.43) | 30 (34.9) | 0.320 |
| Stage III | 10 (71.43) | 47 (54.6) | 0.239 |
| Stage IV | 1 (7.14) | 8 (9.30) | 0.793 |
| Clinical symptoms and signs | |||
| Hemoptysis | 5 (35.7) | 6 (6.9) | 0.002 |
| Chest pain | 13 (92.8) | 33 (38.3) | 0.001 |
| Respiratory rate >30/min | 14 (100) | 36 (43.4) | 0.001 |
| Hypotension (SBP <100 mmHg) | 9 (64.3) | 1 (1.2) | 0.001 |
| Pulse >100 bpm | 13 (92.9) | 24 (28.9) | 0.001 |
| Simplified Geneva Score | 5.57±1.158 | 3.49±0.592 | <0.001 |
| Laboratory and blood gas values | |||
| Polycythemia | 8 (57.14) | 27 (31.4) | 0.06 |
| Total leucocyte count | |||
| <4000/µL | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | |
| 4000-10,000/µL | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | |
| >10,000/µL | 14 (100) | 84 (100) | ns |
| Platelet count | |||
| <150 ×103/µL | 12 (85.71) | 33 (38.37) | 0.0096 |
| >150 ×103/µL | 2 (14.28) | 53 (61.62) | |
| Positive D dimer | 13 (92.8) | 78 (90.6) | 0.694 |
| Arterial blood gas values | |||
| Oxygen saturation (mean±SD) | 73.6±8.38 | 73.84±8.12 | 0.814 |
| paO2, mmHg (mean±SD) | 50±8.6 | 49.9±8.48 | 0.548 |
| paCO2, mmHg (mean±SD) | 47.3±5.66 | 61.4±7.38 | <0.001 |
| pH (mean±SD) | 7.46±0.064 | 7.36±0.063 | <0.001 |
| pH >7.45 | 11 (78.6) | 4 (4.7) | <0.001 |
| PCO2 (<45 mmHg) | 10 (71.42) | 3 (3.48) | 0.001 |
| In hospital mortality | 2 (14.28) | 5 (5.81) | 0.249 |
PE: Pulmonary embolism, COPD: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, AECOPD: Acute exacerbation of COPD, SD: Standard deviation, SBP: Systolic blood pressure, VTE: Venous thromboembolism