logo SBA

ETD

Archivio digitale delle tesi discusse presso l’Università di Pisa

Tesi etd-09242008-103645


Tipo di tesi
Tesi di dottorato di ricerca
Autore
RIBAS, CARMINE
URN
etd-09242008-103645
Titolo
The risk for fatal pulmonary embolism, recurrence, and bleeding in patients undergoing 1-year anticoagulation for PE. The clinical course of 1-year anticoagulated pulmonary embolism: results of a prospective, cohort study.
Settore scientifico disciplinare
MED/21
Corso di studi
FISIOPATOLOGIA E CLINICA DELL'APPARATO CARDIOVASCOLARE E RESPIRATORIO
Relatori
Relatore Prof. Mussi, Alfredo
Parole chiave
  • clinical course of PE
  • Pulmonary embolism
  • risk factors of PE
Data inizio appello
06/12/2008
Consultabilità
Completa
Riassunto
Background. Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a potentially fatal but treatable disease. Secondary prophylaxis is usually continued for three to six months, but the risk for recurrence or death lasts at least for one year. Knowing the clinical course of 1-year anticoagulated patients and identifying risk factors for adverse events may be of high clinical relevance.
Objective. To investigate the incidence of recurrence, mortality and bleeding in PE patients anticoagulated for 1 year and to identify risk factors for such adverse events.
Design. We evaluated prospectively for 1 year all consecutive in- and out-patients with a final diagnosis of acute PE referred to a single centre in Pisa, Italy, in the years 2001-2005. No exclusion criteria were adopted.
Results. Out of the original 497 patients, 136 (27.4%) died before completing the 1-year follow-up, 36 (26.5%) because of PE. Of them, 31 (86.1%) did it within 10 days of diagnosis. Risk factors for death were presence of idiopathic PE (0.003), of persistently severe dyspnea in spite of treatment (0.002), of high perfusion defect score index ( PDI ). Risk of death increased proportionally when persistently severe dyspnea and high PDI were contemporary present. Recurrence occurred in 48 (9.6%) cases, 39 (81.2%) within 10 days of diagnosis. The 1-year fatality rate was 74%, the 10 days 79%. Risk factors for recurrence were persistently severe dyspnea (0.007), high PDI (0.003), cardiac or pulmonary comorbilities (0.005).
Bleeding occurred in 17 (3.4%) cases and was major in 1 (0.2%); most cases (70.6%) occurred between 30 and 180 days, no case was observed after 180 days. No risk factor could be identified as associated to bleeding.
Conclusions. In patients anticoagulated and carefully followed for one year, death occurred in more than a quarter of cases, a quarter of them because of PE; the vast majority did it in the first 10 days. Recurrence occurred in one every ten patients, again early. Persistently severe dyspnea and high PDI were risk factors for both mortality and recurrence. Bleeding was rare and minor and no case was observed after 180 and 360 days of treatment.
File