Comparison of risk assessment strategies for not-high-risk pulmonary embolism.

We compared the prognostic performance of the 2014 European Society of Cardiology (ESC) risk stratification algorithm with the previous 2008 ESC algorithm, the Bova score and the modified FAST score (based on a positive heart-type fatty acid-binding protein (H-FABP) test, syncope and tachycardia, modified using high-sensitivity troponin T instead of H-FABP) in 388 normotensive pulmonary embolism patients included in a single-centre cohort study.Overall, 25 patients (6.4%) had an adverse 30-day outcome. Regardless of the score or algorithm used, the rate of an adverse outcome was highest in the intermediate-high-risk classes, while all patients classified as low-risk had a favourable outcome (no pulmonary embolism-related deaths, 0-1.4% adverse outcome). The area under the curve for predicting an adverse outcome was higher for the 2014 ESC algorithm (0.76, 95% CI 0.68-0.84) compared with the 2008 ESC algorithm (0.65, 95% CI 0.56-0.73) and highest for the modified FAST score (0.82, 95% CI 0.75-0.89). Patients classified as intermediate-high-risk by the 2014 ESC algorithm had a 8.9-fold increased risk for an adverse outcome (3.2-24.2, p<0.001 compared with intermediate-low- and low-risk patients), while the highest OR was observed for a modified FAST score ≥3 points (OR 15.9, 95% CI 5.3-47.6, p<0.001).The 2014 ESC algorithm improves risk stratification of not-high-risk pulmonary embolism compared with the 2008 ESC algorithm. All scores and algorithms accurately identified low-risk patients, while the modified FAST score appears more suitable to identify intermediate-high-risk patients.

Assessment of serum flecainide trough levels in patients with tachyarrhythmia.

The reported therapeutic range for trough flecainide concentration is 200-1000 ng mL(-1). Severe adverse events, such as ventricular arrhythmias, have occurred occasionally in patients whose serum flecainide exceeded 1000 ng mL(-1). However, the lower limit remains controversial. We have evaluated blood flecainide concentrations in patients with tachyarrhythmia who received the drug to control palpitation. We measured the flecainide trough levels and incidence and frequency of palpitation of 44 outpatients receiving oral flecainide (150-300 mg daily). Mean serum flecainide trough concentrations differed significantly between patients with (n = 14) and without (n = 30) palpitation (259.5 +/- 85.2 vs 462.2 +/- 197.7 ng mL(-1), P < 0.01). The frequency of palpitation decreased as the serum flecainide concentration increased. The incidence of palpitation was 65% at serum flecainide concentrations < 300 ng mL(-1) and 11% at > or = 300 ng mL(-1). QRS values were increased significantly in patients with serum flecainide < 300 ng mL(-1) compared with > or = 300 ng mL(-1) (0.110 +/- 0.016 s vs 0.093 +/- 0.019 s, P < 0.05). We concluded that to control paroxysm in patients receiving flecainide for tachyarrhythmia serum flecainide concentrations should be maintained at > or = 300 ng mL(-1).