National Early Warning Score-2 for Identification of Patients with Intermediate-High-Risk Pulmonary Embolism.

Consensus statements have proposed the use of the National Early Warning Score 2 (NEWS2) to identify stable patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE) and an intermediate-high risk of adverse outcomes. We aimed to externally validate NEWS2 and compare it to another predictive score (Bova). Using NEWS2 (cutoff ≥5 and ≥7) and the Bova score (cutoff >4), we classified patients as intermediate-high risk (vs. non-intermediate-high risk), and we compared the test characteristics of these risk classification tools for a complicated course within 30 days after PE diagnosis. We also assessed the validity of NEWS2 for predicting a complicated course by adding the results of echocardiography and troponin testing to the model. Of the 848 enrolled patients, the NEWS2 score ≥5 classified 471 (55.5%) and the Bova score classified 37 (4.4%) as intermediate-high risk. NEWS2 had a significantly lower specificity for a 30-day complicated course than Bova (45.4 vs. 96.3%, respectively; p < 0.001). Using the higher score threshold (≥7), the NEWS2 classified 99 (11.7%) as intermediate-high risk, and the specificity was 88.9% (difference with Bova, 7.4%; p < 0.001). The proportion of patients with intermediate-high risk PE was 2.4% for the combination of a positive troponin testing and echocardiographic right ventricle dysfunction and a positive NEWS2 (score ≥7), while the specificity was 97.8% (difference with Bova, 1.5%; p = 0.07). Bova outperforms NEWS2 for predicting a complicated course among stable patients with PE. Addition of troponin testing and echocardiography improved the specificity of NEWS2, although it was not superior to Bova. CLINICALTRIALS.GOV NUMBER: : NCT02238639.

Randomised controlled trial of a prognostic assessment and management pathway to reduce the length of hospital stay in normotensive patients with acute pulmonary embolism.

BACKGROUND: The length of hospital stay (LOS) for acute pulmonary embolism (PE) varies considerably. Whether the upfront use of a PE prognostic assessment and management pathway is effective in reducing the LOS remains unknown. METHODS: We conducted a randomised controlled trial of adults hospitalised for acute PE: patients were assigned either to a prognostic assessment and management pathway involving risk stratification followed by predefined criteria for mobilisation and discharge (intervention group) or to usual care (control group). The primary end-point was LOS. The secondary end-points were the cost of prognostic tests and of hospitalisation, and 30-day clinical outcomes. RESULTS: Of 500 patients who underwent randomisation, 498 were included in the modified intention-to-treat analysis. The median LOS was 4.0 days (interquartile range (IQR) 3.7-4.2 days) in the intervention group and 6.1 days (IQR 5.7-6.5 days) in the control group (p<0.001). The mean total cost of prognostic tests was EUR 174.76 in the intervention group, compared with EUR 233.12 in the control group (mean difference EUR -58.37, 95% CI EUR -84.34- to -32.40). The mean total hospitalisation cost per patient was EUR 2085.66 in the intervention group, compared with EUR 3232.97 in the control group (mean difference EUR -1147.31, 95% CI EUR -1414.97- to -879.65). No significant differences were observed in 30-day readmission (4.0% versus 4.8%), all-cause mortality (2.4% versus 2.0%) or PE-related mortality (0.8% versus 1.2%) rates. CONCLUSIONS: The use of a prognostic assessment and management pathway was effective in reducing the LOS for acute PE.

Pediatric Living Lung Donor Transplant Candidates: Psychiatric Status of Utilized and Non-Utilized Donors.

Living donor lung (lobar) transplantation has greatly decreased in the past decade due to the success of the lung allocation score (LAS) system, instituted in 2005 by the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN). Between 1993 and 2006, 460 living lung donor transplants were performed in the United States with 369 donations occurring at the University of Southern California and Washington University in St. Louis. These two centers accounted for over 80% of all living donor lung transplants between 1994 and 2006. All potential donors received a psychological/psychiatric evaluation as part of the donor selection process, which is standard practice in the United States, Europe, and Asia. Utilized and non-utilized lung donors were compared in terms of their psychiatric history and present status. Results indicated that 31% (N = 54) of the total sample had a lifetime prevalence of a psychiatric disorder, which is less than that the 46% lifetime rate for the general population (Kessler in Arch Gen Psychiatry 62:593-602, 2005). This study did find that psychiatric history or status was not exclusion factor for transplant surgery in either group. This observation about psychiatric issues in potential living lung donors should be useful to transplant centers who utilize adult live donors of any solid organ type for pediatric recipients and in Japan where live donor lung transplants still represent a significant proportion of lung transplants (Date in J Thorac Dis 8: S631-S636, 2016).

Effect of a Pulmonary Embolism Diagnostic Strategy on Clinical Outcomes in Patients Hospitalized for COPD Exacerbation: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Active search for pulmonary embolism (PE) may improve outcomes in patients hospitalized for exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Objective: To compare usual care plus an active strategy for diagnosing PE with usual care alone in patients hospitalized for COPD exacerbation. Design, Setting, and Participants: Randomized clinical trial conducted across 18 hospitals in Spain. A total of 746 patients were randomized from September 2014 to July 2020 (final follow-up was November 2020). Interventions: Usual care plus an active strategy for diagnosing PE (D-dimer testing and, if positive, computed tomography pulmonary angiogram) (n = 370) vs usual care (n = 367). Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was a composite of nonfatal symptomatic venous thromboembolism (VTE), readmission for COPD, or death within 90 days after randomization. There were 4 secondary outcomes, including nonfatal new or recurrent VTE, readmission for COPD, and death from any cause within 90 days. Adverse events were also collected. Results: Among the 746 patients who were randomized, 737 (98.8%) completed the trial (mean age, 70 years; 195 [26%] women). The primary outcome occurred in 110 patients (29.7%) in the intervention group and 107 patients (29.2%) in the control group (absolute risk difference, 0.5% [95% CI, -6.2% to 7.3%]; relative risk, 1.02 [95% CI, 0.82-1.28]; P = .86). Nonfatal new or recurrent VTE was not significantly different in the 2 groups (0.5% vs 2.5%; risk difference, -2.0% [95% CI, -4.3% to 0.1%]). By day 90, a total of 94 patients (25.4%) in the intervention group and 84 (22.9%) in the control group had been readmitted for exacerbation of COPD (risk difference, 2.5% [95% CI, -3.9% to 8.9%]). Death from any cause occurred in 23 patients (6.2%) in the intervention group and 29 (7.9%) in the control group (risk difference, -1.7% [95% CI, -5.7% to 2.3%]). Major bleeding occurred in 3 patients (0.8%) in the intervention group and 3 patients (0.8%) in the control group (risk difference, 0% [95% CI, -1.9% to 1.8%]; P = .99). Conclusions and Relevance: Among patients hospitalized for an exacerbation of COPD, the addition of an active strategy for the diagnosis of PE to usual care, compared with usual care alone, did not significantly improve a composite health outcome. The study may not have had adequate power to assess individual components of the composite outcome. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02238639.

Intracellular C3 Protects Human Airway Epithelial Cells from Stress-associated Cell Death.

The complement system provides host defense against pathogens and environmental stress. C3, the central component of complement, is present in the blood and increases in BAL fluid after injury. We recently discovered that C3 is taken up by certain cell types and cleaved intracellularly to C3a and C3b. C3a is required for CD4+ T-cell survival. These observations made us question whether complement operates at environmental interfaces, particularly in the respiratory tract. We found that airway epithelial cells (AECs, represented by both primary human tracheobronchial cells and BEAS-2B [cell line]) cultured in C3-free media were unique from other cell types in that they contained large intracellular stores of de novo synthesized C3. A fraction of this protein reduced ("storage form") but the remainder did not, consistent with it being pro-C3 ("precursor form"). These two forms of intracellular C3 were absent in CRISPR knockout-induced C3-deficient AECs and decreased with the use of C3 siRNA, indicating endogenous generation. Proinflammatory cytokine exposure increased both stored and secreted forms of C3. Furthermore, AECs took up C3 from exogenous sources, which mitigated stress-associated cell death (e.g., from oxidative stress or starvation). C3 stores were notably increased within AECs in lung tissues from individuals with different end-stage lung diseases. Thus, at-risk cells furnish C3 through biosynthesis and/or uptake to increase locally available C3 during inflammation, while intracellularly, these stores protect against certain inducers of cell death. These results establish the relevance of intracellular C3 to airway epithelial biology and suggest novel pathways for complement-mediated host protection in the airway.

A Randomized Trial of Long-Term Oxygen for COPD with Moderate Desaturation.

BACKGROUND: Long-term treatment with supplemental oxygen has unknown efficacy in patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and resting or exercise-induced moderate desaturation. METHODS: We originally designed the trial to test whether long-term treatment with supplemental oxygen would result in a longer time to death than no use of supplemental oxygen among patients who had stable COPD with moderate resting desaturation (oxyhemoglobin saturation as measured by pulse oximetry [Spo2], 89 to 93%). After 7 months and the randomization of 34 patients, the trial was redesigned to also include patients who had stable COPD with moderate exercise-induced desaturation (during the 6-minute walk test, Spo2 ≥80% for ≥5 minutes and <90% for ≥10 seconds) and to incorporate the time to the first hospitalization for any cause into the new composite primary outcome. Patients were randomly assigned, in a 1:1 ratio, to receive long-term supplemental oxygen (supplemental-oxygen group) or no long-term supplemental oxygen (no-supplemental-oxygen group). In the supplemental-oxygen group, patients with resting desaturation were prescribed 24-hour oxygen, and those with desaturation only during exercise were prescribed oxygen during exercise and sleep. The trial-group assignment was not masked. RESULTS: A total of 738 patients at 42 centers were followed for 1 to 6 years. In a time-to-event analysis, we found no significant difference between the supplemental-oxygen group and the no-supplemental-oxygen group in the time to death or first hospitalization (hazard ratio, 0.94; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.79 to 1.12; P=0.52), nor in the rates of all hospitalizations (rate ratio, 1.01; 95% CI, 0.91 to 1.13), COPD exacerbations (rate ratio, 1.08; 95% CI, 0.98 to 1.19), and COPD-related hospitalizations (rate ratio, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.83 to 1.17). We found no consistent between-group differences in measures of quality of life, lung function, and the distance walked in 6 minutes. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with stable COPD and resting or exercise-induced moderate desaturation, the prescription of long-term supplemental oxygen did not result in a longer time to death or first hospitalization than no long-term supplemental oxygen, nor did it provide sustained benefit with regard to any of the other measured outcomes. (Funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services; LOTT ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00692198 .).

Human leukocyte antigens antibodies after lung transplantation: Primary results of the HALT study.

Donor-specific antibodies (DSA) to mismatched human leukocyte antigens (HLA) are associated with worse outcomes after lung transplantation. To determine the incidence and characteristics of DSA early after lung transplantation, we conducted a prospective multicenter observational study that used standardized treatment and testing protocols. Among 119 transplant recipients, 43 (36%) developed DSA: 6 (14%) developed DSA only to class I HLA, 23 (53%) developed DSA only to class II HLA, and 14 (33%) developed DSA to both class I and class II HLA. The median DSA mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) was 3197. We identified a significant association between the Lung Allocation Score and the development of DSA (HR = 1.02, 95% CI: 1.001-1.03, P = .047) and a significant association between DSA with an MFI ≥ 3000 and acute cellular rejection (ACR) grade ≥ A2 (HR = 2.11, 95% CI: 1.04-4.27, P = .039). However, we did not detect an association between DSA and survival. We conclude that DSA occur frequently early after lung transplantation, and most target class II HLA. DSA with an MFI ≥ 3000 have a significant association with ACR. Extended follow-up is necessary to determine the impact of DSA on other important outcomes.

Efficacy and safety outcomes of recanalisation procedures in patients with acute symptomatic pulmonary embolism: systematic review and network meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to review the efficacy and safety of recanalisation procedures for the treatment of PE. METHODS: We searched PubMed, the Cochrane Library, EMBASE, EBSCO, Web of Science and CINAHL databases from inception through 31 July 2015 and included randomised clinical trials that compared the effect of a recanalisation procedure versus each other or anticoagulant therapy in patients diagnosed with PE. We used network meta-analysis and multivariate random-effects meta-regression to estimate pooled differences between each intervention and meta-regression to assess the association between trial characteristics and the reported effects of recanalisation procedures versus anticoagulation. RESULTS: For all-cause mortality, there were no significant differences in event rates between any of the recanalisation procedures and anticoagulant treatment (full-dose thrombolysis: OR 0.60; 95% CI0.36 to 1.01; low-dose thrombolysis: 0.47; 95% CI 0.14 to 1.59; and catheter-associated thrombolysis: 0.31; 95% CI 0.01 to 7.96). Full-dose thrombolysis increased the risk of major bleeding (2.00; 95% CI 1.06 to 3.78) compared with anticoagulation. Catheter-directed thrombolysis was associated with the lowest probability of dying (surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA), 0.67), followed by low-dose thrombolysis (SUCRA, 0.66) and full-dose thrombolysis (SUCRA, 0.55). Similarly, low-dose thrombolysis was associated with the lowest probability of major bleeding (SUCRA, 0.61), followed by catheter-directed thrombolysis (SUCRA, 0.54) and full-dose thrombolysis (SUCRA, 0.17). The results were similar in sensitivity analyses based on restricting only to studies in haemodynamically stable patients with PE. CONCLUSIONS: In the treatment of PE, recanalisation procedures do not seem to offer a clear advantage compared with standard anticoagulation. Low-dose thrombolysis was associated with the lowest probability of dying and bleeding. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: PROSPERO CRD42015024670.

Acute graft-versus-host disease following lung transplantation in a patient with a novel TERT mutation.

Familial pulmonary fibrosis is associated with loss-of-function mutations in telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) and short telomeres. Interstitial lung diseases have become the leading indication for lung transplantation in the USA, and recent data indicate that pathogenic mutations in telomerase may cause unfavourable outcomes following lung transplantation. Although a rare occurrence, solid organ transplant recipients who develop acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) have very poor survival. This case report describes the detection of a novel mutation in TERT in a patient who had lung transplantation for familial pulmonary fibrosis and died from complications of acute GVHD.

Management appropriateness and outcomes of patients with acute pulmonary embolism.

The impact of adherence to published guidelines on the outcomes of patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE) has not been well defined by previous studies.In this prospective cohort study of patients admitted to a respiratory department (n=2096), we evaluated whether patients with PE had better outcomes if they were acutely managed according to international guidelines. Outcomes consisted of all-cause mortality, PE-related mortality, recurrent venous thromboembolism (VTE) and major bleeding events during the first month of follow-up after diagnosis.Overall, 408 patients (19% (95% CI 18-21%)) did not receive guideline-adherent PE management. Patients receiving non-adherent management were significantly more likely to experience all-cause mortality (adjusted odds ratio (OR) 2.39 (95% CI 1.57-3.61) or PE-related mortality (adjusted OR 5.02 (95% CI 2.42-10.42); p<0.001) during follow-up. Non-adherent management was also a significant independent predictor of recurrent VTE (OR 2.19 (95% CI 1.11-4.32); p=0.03) and major bleeding (OR 2.65 (95% CI 1.66-4.24); p<0.001). An external validation cohort of 34 380 patients with PE from the RIETE registry confirmed these findings.PE management that does not adhere to guidelines for indications related to anticoagulation, thrombolytics and inferior vena cava filters is associated with worse patient outcomes.

The 2018 ISHLT/APM/AST/ICCAC/STSW Recommendations for the Psychosocial Evaluation of Adult Cardiothoracic Transplant Candidates and Candidates for Long-term Mechanical Circulatory Support.

The psychosocial evaluation is well-recognized as an important component of the multifaceted assessment process to determine candidacy for heart transplantation, lung transplantation, and long-term mechanical circulatory support (MCS). However, there is no consensus-based set of recommendations for either the full range of psychosocial domains to be assessed during the evaluation, or the set of processes and procedures to be used to conduct the evaluation, report its findings, and monitor patients' receipt of and response to interventions for any problems identified. This document provides recommendations on both evaluation content and process. It represents a collaborative effort of the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT) and the Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine, American Society of Transplantation, International Consortium of Circulatory Assist Clinicians, and Society for Transplant Social Workers. The Nursing, Health Science and Allied Health Council of the ISHLT organized a Writing Committee composed of international experts representing the ISHLT and the collaborating societies. This Committee synthesized expert opinion and conducted a comprehensive literature review to support the psychosocial evaluation content and process recommendations that were developed. The recommendations are intended to dovetail with current ISHLT guidelines and consensus statements for the selection of candidates for cardiothoracic transplantation and MCS implantation. Moreover, the recommendations are designed to promote consistency across programs in the performance of the psychosocial evaluation by proposing a core set of content domains and processes that can be expanded as needed to meet programs' unique needs and goals.

Assessment of right ventricular function in acute pulmonary embolism.

The optimal approach to assess right ventricular (RV) function in patients with acute symptomatic pulmonary embolism (PE) lacks clarity. METHODS: This study aimed to evaluate the optimal approach to assess RV function in normotensive patients with acute symptomatic PE. Outcomes assessed through 30-days after the diagnosis of PE included all-cause mortality and complicated course. RESULTS: Eight hundred forty-eight patients were enrolled. Multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) and transthoracic echocardiography agreed on the presence or absence of RV overload in 449 (53%) patients. The combination of the simplified Pulmonary Embolism Severity Index (sPESI) and MDCT showed a negative predictive value for 30-day all-cause mortality of 100%. Of the 43% that had an sPESI of >0 points and MDCT RV enlargement, 41 (11.3%) experienced a complicated course that included 24 (6.6%) deaths. One hundred twenty-nine patients (15%) had an sPESI of >0 points, MDCT, and echocardiographic RV overload. Of these, 21 (16.3%) experienced a complicated course within the first 30days, and 10 (7.7%) of them died. CONCLUSIONS: Incorporation of echocardiographic RV overload to the sPESI and MDCT did not improve identification of low-risk PE patients, whereas it improved identification of those at intermediate-high risk for short-term complications.

Direct comparison of 129 Xe diffusion measurements with quantitative histology in human lungs.

PURPOSE: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an irreversible lung disease characterized by small-airway obstruction and alveolar-airspace destruction. Hyperpolarized 129 Xe diffusion MRI of lung is a promising biomarker for assessing airspace enlargement, but has yet to be validated by direct comparison to lung histology. Here we have compared diffusion measurements of hyperpolarized (HP) 129 Xe in explanted lungs to regionally matched morphological measures of airspace size. METHODS: Explanted lungs from five COPD patients and two idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) patients were imaged using MRI with hyperpolarized 129 Xe using a two-b-value gradient-echo diffusion sequence, and 34 histological samples were taken from these lungs for quantitative histology. Mean-linear-intercept (Lm ) was compared with spatially matched measures of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) from 129 Xe MRI. RESULTS: The mean ADC from COPD lung samples was 0.071 ± 0.011 cm2 /s, and for IPF lungs was 0.033 ± 0.001 cm2 /s (P < 10-15 between groups). The mean Lm in COPD samples was 0.076 ± 0.027 cm and 0.041 ± 0.004 cm in IPF (P = 2.7 × 10-7 between groups). The Pearson-correlation between ADC and Lm measurements was r = 0.59. CONCLUSIONS: Diffusion MRI of HP 129 Xe quantifies regional airspace enlargement in COPD. 129 Xe ADC showed much less overlap between groups than quantitative histology, consistent with our past experience with 3 He diffusion MRI in COPD. Magn Reson Med 77:265-272, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Risk Stratification for Proven Acute Pulmonary Embolism: What Information Is Needed?

Classification of risk drives treatment decisions for patients with acute symptomatic pulmonary embolism (PE). High-risk patients with acute symptomatic PE have hemodynamic instability (i.e., shock or hypotension present), and treatment guidelines suggest systemically administered thrombolytic therapy in this setting. Normotensive PE patients at low risk for early complications (low-risk PE) might benefit from treatment at home or early discharge, while normotensive patients with preserved systemic arterial pressure deemed as having a high risk for PE-related adverse clinical events (intermediate-high-risk PE) might benefit from close observation and consideration of escalation of therapy. Prognostic tools (e.g., clinical prognostic scoring systems, imaging testing, and cardiac laboratory biomarkers) assist with the classification of patients into these categories.

Evaluation of Enoxaparin Dosing as a Risk Factor for Bleeding in Lung Transplant Recipients.

BACKGROUND: Lung transplant recipients commonly develop complications that lead to anticoagulation. Standard FDA-approved enoxaparin dosing in this population results in a high incidence of above-goal anti-Xa levels, but its association with bleeding remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between enoxaparin dosing and bleeding in lung transplant recipients and assess the relationship between dosing and anti-Xa levels. METHODS: We conducted a single-center retrospective cohort study of adult lung transplant recipients who received therapeutic enoxaparin between 2000 and 2012 at a tertiary academic center. We dichotomized enoxaparin dosing regimens into standard dose (FDA-approved doses with a 10% rounding margin) and reduced dose. Clinicians ordered anti-Xa levels as deemed clinically appropriate. The primary outcome was major bleeding or clinically relevant nonmajor bleeding. RESULTS: Of 222 patients treated with enoxaparin, 33 (14.9%) had bleeding events, of which half (17/33) were major. Bleeding occurred in 25/146 (17.1%) patients who received standard-dose enoxaparin versus 8/76 (10.5%) patients who received reduced-dose enoxaparin (P = 0.190). Multiple logistic regression demonstrated an independent association between standard-dose enoxaparin and bleeding, after adjusting for confounders (adjusted odds ratio = 3.04; 95% CI = 1.14-8.10). The median enoxaparin dose in patients with above-goal versus at-goal anti-Xa levels was 0.89 versus 0.76 mg/kg every 12 hours; P = 0.006. However, doses yielding at-goal anti-Xa levels had an interquartile range of 0.67 to 0.90 mg/kg, which overlapped with doses yielding above- and below-goal anti-Xa levels. CONCLUSIONS: Enoxaparin dose reduction and anti-Xa level monitoring can improve drug safety and facilitate individualized dose optimization in lung transplant recipients.

Computerised clinical decision support for suspected PE.

This study aimed to determine the effect of an evidence-based clinical decision support (CDS) algorithm on the use and yield of CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA) and on outcomes of patients evaluated in the emergency department (ED) for suspected PE. The study included 1363 consecutive patients evaluated for suspected PE in an ED during 12 months before and 12 months after initiation of CDS use. Introduction of CDS was associated with decreased CTPA use (55% vs 49%; absolute difference (AD), 6.3%; 95% CI 1.0% to 11.6%; p=0.02). The use of CDS was associated with fewer symptomatic venous thromboembolic events during follow-up in patients with an initial negative diagnostic evaluation for PE (0.7% vs 3.2%; AD 2.5%; 95% CI 0.9% to 4.6%; p<0.01).

Derivation and validation of multimarker prognostication for normotensive patients with acute symptomatic pulmonary embolism.

RATIONALE: Not all patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE) have a high risk of an adverse short-term outcome. OBJECTIVES: This prospective cohort study aimed to develop a multimarker prognostic model that accurately classifies normotensive patients with PE into low and high categories of risk of adverse medical outcomes. METHODS: The study enrolled 848 outpatients from the PROTECT (PROgnosTic valuE of Computed Tomography) study (derivation cohort) and 529 patients from the Prognostic Factors for Pulmonary Embolism (PREP) study (validation cohort). Investigators assessed study participants for a 30-day complicated course, defined as death from any cause, hemodynamic collapse, and/or adjudicated recurrent PE. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: A complicated course occurred in 63 (7.4%) of the 848 normotensive patients with acute symptomatic PE in the derivation cohort and in 24 patients (4.5%) in the validation cohort. The final model included the simplified Pulmonary Embolism Severity Index, cardiac troponin I, brain natriuretic peptide, and lower limb ultrasound testing. The model performed similarly in the derivation (c-index of 0.75) and validation (c-index of 0.85) cohorts. The combination of the simplified Pulmonary Embolism Severity Index and brain natriuretic peptide testing showed a negative predictive value for a complicated course of 99.1 and 100% in the derivation and validation cohorts, respectively. The combination of all modalities had a positive predictive value for the prediction of a complicated course of 25.8% in the derivation cohort and 21.2% in the validation cohort. CONCLUSIONS: For normotensive patients who have acute PE, we derived and validated a multimarker model that predicts all-cause mortality, hemodynamic collapse, and/or recurrent PE within the following 30 days.

Prognostic significance of multidetector CT in normotensive patients with pulmonary embolism: results of the protect study.

BACKGROUND: In patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE), rapid and accurate risk assessment is paramount in selecting the appropriate treatment strategy. The prognostic value of right ventricular dysfunction (RVD) assessed by multidetector CT (MDCT) in normotensive patients with PE has lacked adequate validation. METHODS: The study defined MDCT-assessed RVD as a ratio of the RV to the left ventricle short axis diameter greater than 0.9. Outcomes assessed through 30 days after the diagnosis of PE included all-cause mortality and 'complicated course', which consisted of death from any cause, haemodynamic collapse or recurrent PE. RESULTS: MDCT detected RVD in 533 (63%) of the 848 enrolled patients. Those with RVD on MDCT more frequently had echocardiographic RVD (31%) than those without RVD on MDCT (9.2%) (p<0.001). Patients with RVD on MDCT had significantly higher brain natriuretic peptide (269±447 vs 180±457 pg/ml, p<0.001) and troponin (0.10±0.43 vs 0.03±0.24 ng/ml, p=0.001) levels in comparison with those without RVD on MDCT. During follow-up, death occurred in 25 patients with and in 13 patients without RVD on MDCT (4.7% vs 4.3%; p=0.93). Those with and those without RVD on MDCT had a similar frequency of complicated course (3.9% vs 2.3%; p=0.30). CONCLUSIONS: The PROgnosTic valuE of CT study showed a relationship between RVD assessed by MDCT and other markers of cardiac dysfunction around the time of PE diagnosis, but did not demonstrate an association between MDCT-RVD and prognosis.

High-Sensitivity vs Conventional Troponin Cutoffs for Risk Stratification in Patients With Acute Pulmonary Embolism.

Importance: High-sensitivity troponin tests can detect even milder cardiac troponin elevations in plasma, beyond the threshold of conventional troponin tests. Whether detection of low-grade cardiac troponin elevation is associated with outcomes of patients with hemodynamically stable pulmonary embolism (PE) and helps with risk stratification is unknown. Objective: To determine the association between high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI) compared with conventional cardiac troponin I (cTnI) and PE risk designations according to the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) 2019 classification scheme and clinical outcomes in patients with hemodynamically stable PE. Design, Setting, and Participants: This is a post hoc analysis of data from the prospective Prognostic Value of Computed Tomography (PROTECT) multicenter cohort study enrolling patients from 12 hospital emergency departments in Spain. In this analysis, cTnI and hs-cTnI were compared with respect to ESC risk designation, and the association between troponin values and a complicated course after PE diagnosis was evaluated. Of 848 patients enrolled in PROTECT, 834 (98.3%) had hsTnI and cTnI values available and were included in the present analysis. Data were analyzed from May to December 2022. Exposures: Troponin blood testing with cTnI (threshold of >0.05 ng/mL) vs hs-cTnI (threshold of >0.029 ng/mL) assays at the time of PE diagnosis. Main Outcomes: Complicated course, defined as hemodynamic collapse, recurrent PE, or all-cause death, within 30 days after PE. Results: Of 834 patients (mean [SEM] age, 67.5 [0.6] years; 424 [50.8%] female), 139 (16.7%) had elevated cTnI and 264 (31.7%) elevated hs-TnI, respectively. During follow-up, 62 patients (7.4%; 95% CI, 5.7-9.4) had a complicated course. Analyzing troponin elevation as a binary variable, elevated cTnI (odds ratio [OR], 2.84; 95% CI, 1.62-4.98) but not hs-cTnI (OR, 1.12; 95% CI, 0.65-1.93) was associated with increased odds of a complicated course. Of 125 patients who had elevated hs-cTnI but normal cTnI, none (0; 95% CI, 0.0-2.9) developed a complicated course. Using the 2019 ESC risk stratification scheme, hs-TnI classified fewer patients as low risk compared with cTnI. Among 78 patients designated as ESC low risk when using cTnI but not with hsTnI, none (0; 95% CI, 0.0-4.6) had a complicated course. Conclusions and Relevance: In this study of patients with hemodynamically stable PE, hs-cTnI identified modest elevations in cardiac troponin levels. However, the results did not provide additive clinical value compared with cTnI. These findings suggest that use of hs-cTnI may result in overestimation of the risk in patients with stable PE.