Adjusted D-dimer cutoff levels to rule out pulmonary embolism in patients hospitalized for COPD exacerbation: results from the SLICE trial.

BACKGROUND: For patients with suspected pulmonary embolism (PE), age- or clinically-adjusted D-dimer threshold level can be used to define a negative test that safely excludes PE and reduces the use of imaging. However, the utility of this approach in patients hospitalized for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbation is undefined. METHODS: We ran an analysis of the patients hospitalized for COPD exacerbation and randomized to the intervention in the SLICE trial. Using the conventional strategy as the reference, we compared the proportion of patients with a negative D-dimer result, and the negative predictive value and sensitivity of three D-dimer threshold strategies for initial PE or subsequent diagnosis of venous thromboembolism (VTE): the age-adjusted strategy, the Wells-adjusted strategy, and the YEARS-adjusted strategy. RESULTS: We included 368 patients. Using a conventional threshold, 182 (49.5%) patients had negative D-dimer values, of whom 1 (0.6%) had PE (sensitivity, 94.1%). The use of an age-adjusted threshold increased the number of patients in whom PE could be excluded from 182 to 233 patients (63.3%), and the proportion of false-negative findings increased from 0.5% to 1.7% (sensitivity, 76.5%). With the use of the Wells or YEARS strategies, 64.4% and 71.5% had negative values, and the proportion of false-negative findings was 2.5% (sensitivity, 64.7%) and 2.7% (sensitivity, 58.8%), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In patients hospitalized for COPD exacerbation, compared with the conventional strategy, age- or clinically-adjusted strategies of D-dimer interpretation were associated with a larger proportion of patients in whom PE was ruled out with a higher failure rate. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov number: NCT02238639 .

Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension treatment and sex: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) is a complication of pulmonary embolism and a major cause of chronic pulmonary hypertension leading to right heart failure and death. While pulmonary endarterectomy is the treatment of choice, some patients might benefit from medical therapy or balloon pulmonary angioplasty. Sex differences in outcomes of these therapies are not well characterized. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate sex differences in outcomes of various therapies for CTEPH. We searched MEDLINE, PubMed, Embase, CINAHL and the Cochrane Library databases between January 1, 2010 and April 30, 2021, published in English. We pooled incidence estimates using random-effects meta-analyses. We evaluated heterogeneity using the I2 statistic. We assessed publication bias using Begg's and Egger's tests. This study is registered in PROSPERO, CRD42021268504. RESULTS: A total of 19 studies met the eligibility criteria, but only 3 trials provided separate outcomes for women and men. Two studies evaluated the efficacy of BPA, and one study evaluated the efficacy of riociguat (129 patients). Overall, 57.3% of patients were women and 62.6% were in functional class III. Mean time of follow-up was 55.5 (SD 26.1) weeks. Women showed a significantly better response in cardiac index (mean difference [MD], 0.10L/min/m2; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.04-0.16; I2=0%; P=0.001). Alternatively, the reduction of pulmonary vascular resistances was significantly higher for men than for women (MD, 161.17dynscm-5; 95% CI, 67.99-254.35; I2=0%; P=0.0007). CONCLUSIONS: Women and men might show different hemodynamic responses to riociguat or BPA for CTEPH.

[Pulmonary Embolism]. / Tromboembolia de pulmón.

Pulmonary embolism (PE), the most severe form of presentation of venous thromboembolic disease (VTE), currently represents a foremost healthcare issue due to its high impact in terms of morbidity, mortality, costs, and resource consumption. Early mortality associated with PE is primarily due to hemodynamic instability, exacerbation of pre-existing conditions, or major complications of antithrombotic therapies. Beyond the risk of death, there are relevant complications related to PE, such as bleedings, VTE recurrences, and persistence of residual respiratory symptoms; the latter complication related to PE is mainly characterized by two entities, chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension and chronic thromboembolic disease. Significant scientific advances made in recent years have allowed for the improvement of both diagnostic and therapeutic management of the disease, as outlined in this document through a series of relevant issues about PE that are answered with the most up-to-date scientific evidence.

Prognostic Significance of Findings on CTPA Supporting an Alternative Diagnosis to PE Among Patients Hospitalized for an Exacerbation of COPD: Predefined Subanalysis of the SLICE Trial. / Significado pronóstico de los diagnósticos alternativos a la TEP hallados en la tomografía computarizada de tórax de pacientes ingresados por agudización de EPOC: subanálisis predefinido del ensayo SLICE.

BACKGROUND: Among patients hospitalized for an exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the SLICE trial showed that the addition of an active diagnostic strategy for pulmonary embolism (PE) to usual care compared with usual care alone did not improve a composite set of health outcomes. The objective of this subanalysis was to determine the frequency and prognostic significance of findings on computed tomography pulmonary angiogram (CTPA) supporting an alternative diagnosis to PE. METHODS: We analyzed all patients randomized to the intervention in the SLICE trial who received a CTPA that did not show PE. We used multivariable logistic regression to assess the independent association between findings supporting an alternative diagnosis to PE and a composite of readmission for COPD or death within 90 days after randomization. RESULTS: Among the 746 patients who were randomized, this subanalysis included 175 patients in the intervention group who received a CTPA that did not show PE. Eighty-four (48.0%) patients had acute bronchial infection, 13 (7.4%) had lung cancer, 10 (5.7%) had congestive heart failure, 8 (4.6%), 18 (10.3%) had other diagnoses, and 42 (24.0%) had a normal CTPA. In multivariable analysis, findings supporting an alternative diagnosis to PE were not significantly associated with the primary outcome (odds ratio: 0.64; 95% confidence interval: 0.30-1.38; P=0.26). CONCLUSIONS: Among patients hospitalized for an exacerbation of COPD, CTPA identified an alternative diagnosis in 76% of the patients. However, specific management of these patients was not associated with improved outcomes within 90 days after randomization.

Refinement of a modified simplified Pulmonary Embolism Severity Index for elderly patients with acute pulmonary embolism.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the utility of a modified (i.e., without the variable "Age >80 years") simplified Pulmonary Embolism Severity Index (sPESI) in elderly patients with acute symptomatic pulmonary embolism (PE), and to derive and validate a refined version of the sPESI for identification of elderly patients at low risk of adverse events. METHODS: The study included normotensive patients aged >80 years with acute PE enrolled in the RIETE registry. We used multivariable logistic regression analysis to create a new risk score to predict 30-day all-cause mortality. We externally validated the new risk score in elderly patients from the COMMAND VTE registry. RESULTS: Multivariable logistic regression identified four predictors for mortality: high-risk sPESI, immobilization, coexisting deep vein thrombosis (DVT), and plasma creatinine >2 mg/dL. In the RIETE derivation cohort, the new model classified fewer patients as low risk (4.0% [401/10,106]) compared to the modified sPESI (35% [3522/10,106]). Low-risk patients based on the new model had a lower 30-day mortality than those based on the modified sPESI (1.2% [95% CI, 0.4-2.9%] versus 4.7% [95% CI, 4.0-5.4%]). In the COMMAND VTE validation cohort, 1.5% (3/206) of patients were classified as having low risk of death according to the new model, and the overall 30-day mortality of this group was 0% (95% CI, 0-71%), compared to 5.9% (95% CI, 3.1-10.1%) in the high-risk group. CONCLUSIONS: For predicting short-term mortality among elderly patients with acute PE, this study suggests that the new model has a substantially higher sensitivity than the modified sPESI. A minority of these patients might benefit from safe outpatient therapy of their disease.