Clinical characteristics and thrombophilia associated gene variants in Egyptians with unprovoked venous thromboembolism: three centers experience.

BACKGROUND: Thrombophilias are characterized by excessive venous and arterial thrombosis at regular or unusual sites. It may result from inherited, acquired, or a combination. Hereditary thrombophilia (HT) is detected in 30-40% of patients with thromboembolism. Venous/arterial thrombosis is considered a multifactorial disorder, some patients may have more than one risk factor which may be transient or permanent. OBJECTIVES: Assess the clinical characteristics of patients with unprovoked thromboembolic events and the role of inherited thrombophilia as a causative or additive risk factor. METHODS: 210 consecutive adult patients with unprovoked thromboembolic events were reviewed in hematology units at three tertiary Egyptian centers between September 2022 and September 2023. The diagnosis of thromboembolic events was confirmed by clinical and radiological findings. Laboratory screening for thrombophilia-associated. RESULTS: Among our patients, 53(25.2%) patients presented with isolated DVT, followed by portal vein thrombosis, 32(15.2%) had a pulmonary embolism, and sagittal sinus thrombosis was developed in 23(10.9%) patients. CONCLUSION: Younger people who experience spontaneous thromboembolism run the chance of having hereditary thrombophilia; the more mutations discovered, the higher the risk of thrombosis; the lower leg and deep vein thrombosis were the most common sites. Lastly, MTHFR C677T was the most common polymorphism in Egyptians, detected in almost half of the cases.

Characteristics of patients with symptomatic and incidental pulmonary thromboembolism.

Introduction: Pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) has a wide range of clinical presentations. With the advances in computed tomography (CT) technology and easier access to CT, the incidence of incidentally diagnosed cases of PTE has increased. The main aim of our study was to determine the frequency of patients incidentally diagnosed with PTE and whether these patients differ from patients with symptomatic PTE in terms of case characteristics. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analysed the charts of 148 patients with PTE diagnosed and treated in 2022. Demographic characteristics, thrombus localisation, risk factors, and treatment modalities were compared between symptomatic patients with clinically suspected PTE and patients with incidentally diagnosed PTE by imaging methods performed for other purposes without clinically suspected PTE. Result: Out of 148 patients with PTE, 42 (28.3%) were diagnosed incidentally. The rate of concomitant malignancy was significantly higher in patients with incidental PTE (54.8%) than in patients with symptomatic PTE (28.3%) (p < 0.01). There was no significant difference between symptomatic and incidental PTE patients in terms of the pulmonary artery segment in which the thrombus was located (p > 0.05). Conclusions: In our patient group, approximately one out of four patients diagnosed with PTE were incidentally diagnosed. Patients with malignancies may not have symptoms suspicious for PTE or their symptoms may go unrecognized.

Incidence and risk factors for deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) in acute necrotizing pancreatitis (ANP) - A single center experience.

INTRODUCTION: Inflammation-induced dysregulation of the coagulation cascade and vascular stasis in hospitalized patients with acute necrotizing pancreatitis (ANP) serve as a milieu for venous thromboembolism (VTE). Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) are often underrecognized. We evaluated the incidence and risk factors for VTE in a cohort of patients with ANP. METHODS: All adult patients with ANP at our center between 2009 and 2022 were followed for three months after index hospitalization and categorized into cases and controls based on development of VTE. Demographic, clinical, and radiologic characteristics during admission were compared. A multivariable analysis was done to identify independent predictors for VTE. A p value of <0.05 was taken as significant. RESULTS: Among 643 ANP patients, 512 [males-350, median age-52 years] were eligible for inclusion. VTE developed in 64 (12.5 %) patients - 28 DVT (5 %), 22 PE (4 %) and both in 14 (3 %) after a median 16 days from the diagnosis of ANP. Significant independent predictors for VTE on multivariable analysis were age ≥60 years (OR 1.91; 95 % CI 1.04-3.53), peri-pancreatic extent of necrosis (OR 7.61; 95 % CI 3.94-14.70), infected necrosis (OR 2.26; 95 % CI 1.13-4.50) and total length of stay ≥14 days (OR 4.08; 95 % CI 1.75-9.50). CONCLUSIONS: The overall incidence of VTE in our cohort of patients with ANP was 12.5 %, which was usually diagnosed within one month of hospitalization. High-risk patients can be stratified based on clinical and imaging characteristics and may benefit from intensive DVT screening and prophylaxis during hospitalization and following discharge.

Dispensed prescription medications and short-term risk of pulmonary embolism in Norway and Sweden.

Scandinavian electronic health-care registers provide a unique setting to investigate potential unidentified side effects of drugs. We analysed the association between prescription drugs dispensed in Norway and Sweden and the short-term risk of developing pulmonary embolism. A total of 12,104 pulmonary embolism cases were identified from patient- and cause-of-death registries in Norway (2004-2014) and 36,088 in Sweden (2005-2014). A case-crossover design was used to compare individual drugs dispensed 1-30 days before the date of pulmonary embolism diagnosis with dispensation in a 61-90 day time-window, while controlling for the receipt of other drugs. A BOLASSO approach was used to select drugs that were associated with short-term risk of pulmonary embolism. Thirty-eight drugs were associated with pulmonary embolism in the combined analysis of the Norwegian and Swedish data. Drugs associated with increased risk of pulmonary embolism included certain proton-pump inhibitors, antibiotics, antithrombotics, vasodilators, furosemide, anti-varicose medications, corticosteroids, immunostimulants (pegfilgrastim), opioids, analgesics, anxiolytics, antidepressants, antiprotozoals, and drugs for cough and colds. Mineral supplements, hydrochlorothiazide and potassium-sparing agents, beta-blockers, angiotensin 2 receptor blockers, statins, and methotrexate were associated with lower risk. Most associations persisted, and several additional drugs were associated, with pulmonary embolism when using a longer time window of 90 days instead of 30 days. These results provide exploratory, pharmacopeia-wide evidence of medications that may increase or decrease the risk of pulmonary embolism. Some of these findings were expected based on the drugs' indications, while others are novel and require further study as potentially modifiable precipitants of pulmonary embolism.

Factors Associated with Hospital Length of Stay among VTE Cases: Insights from the i-RegVed Registry.

INTRODUCTION: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a multifactorial condition and one of the leading causes of mortality and disability. The present study explores the factors associated with hospitalization duration among different types of venous thromboembolism diagnoses, such as deep vein thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism (PE), and other forms of thrombosis. METHODS: The data included participants with VTE admitted to 13 hospitals within pan-India from June 2022 to December 2023 to the i-RegVed registry, where socio-demographic data, clinical history, and various factors associated with hospital length of stay (LOS) were included for analyses. Multilinear regression was performed to explore the factors associated with hospital LOS among VTE conditions such as DVT, PE, forms of thrombosis other than PE and DVT, and all VTE diagnoses. RESULTS: A total of 633 participants were included in the study, with 55% being males, and 28.9% being homemakers. Longer hospital LOS was significantly associated with age (ß = -.09, P < .05), sex (ß = 3.21, P < .05), and non-communicable diseases (ß = 3.51, P < .05) among participants with DVT and among participants with at least one of the VTE diagnoses, age (ß = -.12, P < .001) and anticoagulant use (ß = -2.49, P < .05) was significantly associated. CONCLUSION: The findings provide insights into the factors influencing hospital outcomes among participants with different types of VTE, highlighting the importance of age and comorbidities in predicting the hospital LOS.

Incidence and risk factors of VTE in lung cancer: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer has maintained a high prevalence and mortality. Besides, venous thromboembolism (VTE) is the third most common disease of cardiovascular disease. Lung cancer with VTE usually influenced the overall survival in the follow-up. In the development of lung cancer, vigilance against and early diagnosis of VTE is of significance. METHODS: We searched the databases of PubMed, Web of Science, Embase and Cochrane for related research up to 30 November 2023 and extracted information of incidence, odds ratio (OR), hazard ratio (HR) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs), for evaluating the incidence of VTE and its risk factors. RESULTS: A total of 54 articles and 873,292 records were included in our study. The pooled incidences of VTE and PE were 6% and 3%, respectively. Subgroup analysis revealed that the tumour, node and metastasis (TNM) stage (HR= 5.43, 95% CI: 2.42, 12.22), metastasis (HR= 2.67, 95% CI: 1.35, 5.29) and chemotherapy (HR= 2.27, 95% CI: 1.11, 4.65) had major influence on VTE occurrence. CONCLUSIONS: Lung cancer complicated with VTE is unignorable, and its occurrence varies widely by tumour staging, tissue type and treatment. The results may aid in clinical decision-making about lung cancer in higher risk with VTE and weather receiving anticoagulant prophylaxis.

The pooled incidences of VTE and PE were 6% and 3% in lung cancer.LUAD, NSCLC and tumour stage III-IV have significant relevant with VTE in lung cancer.

Case-control study of the characteristics and risk factors of hot clot artefacts on 18F-FDG PET/CT.

INTRODUCTION: The pulmonary Hot Clot artifact (HCa) on 18F-FDG PET/CT is a poorly understood phenomenon, corresponding to the presence of a focal tracer uptake without anatomical lesion on combined CTscan. The hypothesis proposed in the literature is of microembolic origin. Our objectives were to determine the incidence of HCa, to analyze its characteristics and to identify associated factors. METHODS: All 18F-FDG PET/CT retrieved reports containing the keywords (artifact/vascular adhesion/no morphological abnormality) during the period June 2021-2023 at Brest University Hospital were reviewed for HCa. Each case was associated with 2 control patients (same daily work-list). The anatomical and metabolic characteristics of HCa were analyzed. Factors related to FDG preparation/administration, patient and vascular history were investigated. Case-control differences between variables were tested using Chi-2 test and OR (qualitative) or Student's t-test (quantitative). RESULTS: Of the 22,671 18F-FDG PET/CT performed over 2 years, 211 patients (0.94%) showed HCa. The focus was single in 97.6%, peripheral in 75.3%, and located independently in the right or left lung (51.1% vs. 48.9%). Mean ± SD values for SUVmax, SUVmean, MTV and TLG were 11.3 ± 16.5, 5.1 ± 5.0, 0.3 ± 0.3 ml and 1.5 ± 2.1 g respectively. The presence of vascular adhesion (p < 0.001), patient age (p = 0.002) and proximal venous access (p = 0.001) were statistically associated with the presence of HCa. CONCLUSION: HCa is a real but rare phenomenon (incidence around 1%), mostly unique, intense, small in volume (< 1 ml), and associated with the presence of vascular FDG uptake, confirming the hypothesis of a microembolic origin due to probable vein wall trauma at the injection site.

Identifying pulmonary embolism - high risk patients after total knee replacement: systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the incidence, onset, risk factors and mortality of pulmonary embolism in total knee replacement patients. METHODS: The systematic review was conducted in September 2022, and comprised search on PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus and Crossref databases for studies published from 1977 till September 7, 2022, in the English language related to the incidence of pulmonary embolism after primary total knee replacement. Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions was used to assess risk of bias, and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used to assess the quality of evidence. RESULTS: Of the 3,910 studies initially identified, 66(1.68%) were analysed in detail, which together had 13,258,455 total knee replacement patients. Pulmonary embolism was reported in 76,515(0.58%) cases. The onset of pulmonary embolism ranged 2-150 days post-surgery. Patients with older age, diabetes mellitus, higher body mass index, atrial fibrillation, previous venous thromboembolism, high Charlson Comorbidity Index score, hypertension, arrhythmia and chronic heart failure were at significantly higher risk (p<0.05). The overall mortality rate of pulmonary embolism in such cases ranged 10.53-100%. CONCLUSIONS: Pulmonary embolism is a rare complication after orthopaedic surgery, but it has a very high mortality rate. By recognising the risk factors, attending physicians can optimise the use of chemoprophylaxis, thus preventing pulmonary embolism.

Has the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic Played a Role in the Early Detection of Pulmonary Embolism in Children?

OBJECTIVE: Pulmonary embolism (PE) poses a significant threat to children, and nonspecific symptoms lead to delayed diagnosis. The emergence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has increased the complexity as it is associated with similar symptoms and increased risk of thrombotic complications. This study aimed to assess the risk factors, clinical presentations, and diagnostic features of PE in pediatric patients and to examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children with PE. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective descriptive study examining the clinical and diagnostic data of 44 pediatric patients with radiologically confirmed PE. The study compared and analyzed patients diagnosed before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. RESULTS: In the study, 21 of 44 pediatric patients were diagnosed in the 4 years before the COVID-19 pandemic, and 23 were diagnosed with PE during the COVID-19 pandemic. The mean time to diagnosis was 8 (2 to 14) days before the pandemic and 1 (1 to 2) days during the pandemic ( P < 0.001). The most common associated condition in both groups was infection (65.9%). Dyspnea (65.9%) and tachypnea (50.0%) were common symptoms. Except for deep vein thrombosis, there were no significant differences according to associated conditions between the groups ( P = 0.001). Pulmonary emboli were anatomically detected using computed tomography angiography, showing bilateral involvement in 45.4% of patients, segmental artery involvement in 38.6%, and main artery involvement in 15.9%. CONCLUSION: The COVID-19 pandemic heightened suspicion of pediatric PE and accelerated diagnosis. Standardized diagnostic guidelines are increasingly necessary to balance accurate diagnosis with avoiding excessive imaging.

Electrocardiographic abnormalities and NT-proBNP levels at long-term follow-up of patients with dyspnea after pulmonary embolism.

OBJECTIVES: Electrocardiogram (ECG) and measurement of plasma brain natriuretic peptides (BNP) are established markers of right ventricular dysfunction (RVD) in the setting of acute pulmonary embolism (PE) but their value at long-term follow-up is largely unknown. The purpose of this prospective study was to determine the prevalence of ECG abnormalities, describe levels of N-terminal proBNP (NT-proBNP), and establish their association with dyspnea at long-term follow-up after PE. DESIGN: All Swedish patients diagnosed with acute PE in 2005 (n = 5793) were identified through the Swedish National Patient Registry. Surviving patients in 2007 (n = 3510) were invited to participate. Of these, 2105 subjects responded to a questionnaire about dyspnea and comorbidities. Subjects with dyspnea or risk factors for development of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension were included in the study in a secondary step, which involved collection of blood samples and ECG registration. RESULTS: Altogether 49.3% had a completely normal ECG. The remaining participants had a variety of abnormalities, 7.2% had atrial fibrillation/flutter (AF). ECG with any sign of RVD was found in 7.2% of subjects. Right bundle branch block was the most common RVD sign with a prevalence of 6.4%. An abnormal ECG was associated with dyspnea. AF was associated with dyspnea, whereas ECG signs of RVD were not. 61.2% of subjects had NT-proBNP levels above clinical cut-off (>125 ng/L). The degree of dyspnea did not associate independently with NT-proBNP levels. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that the value of ECG and NT-proBNP in long term follow-up after PE lies mostly in differential diagnostics.

Cardiovascular disease risk after a SARS-CoV-2 infection: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: To our knowledge, there is no systematic review examining CVD risks after a SARS-CoV-2 infection over time, while also taking into account disease severity. All evidence on the risk for pulmonary embolism (PE), myocardial infarction (MI), ischaemic stroke (IS), haemorrhagic stroke (HS), and arterial thrombosis following infection was evaluated. METHODS: The protocol was registered with PROSPERO. We searched Pubmed, Embase, MedRxiv and screened the titles/abstracts and full texts. We extracted the included studies, assessed their quality, and estimated pooled risks by time after infection and according to disease severity. RESULTS: Risks were highest in the acute phase [PE: 27.1 (17.8-41.10); MI: 4.4 (1.6-12.4); stroke: 3.3 (2.1-5.2); IS: 5.6 (2.1-14.8); HS: 4.0 (0.1-326.2)] compared to the post-acute phase [PE: 2.9 (2.6-3.3); MI: 1.4 (1.1-1.9); stroke: 1.4 (1.0-2.0); IS: 1.6 (0.9-2.7)]. Highest risks were observed after infection confirmation, dropping during the first month post-infection (e.g. PE: RR(7 days) = 31; RR(1 month) = 8.1). A doubled risk was still observed until 4.5 months for PE, one month for MI and two months for IS. Risks decreased with decreasing disease severity. CONCLUSIONS: Because of increased risk of CVD outcomes, management of persons who survived a severe SARS-CoV-2 infection is required, especially during the first nine months post-infection.

Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension is an uncommon complication of COVID-19: UK national surveillance and observational screening cohort studies.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a well-recognised complication of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection, and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary disease with and without pulmonary hypertension (CTEPD/CTEPH) are potential life-limiting consequences. At present the burden of CTEPD/CTEPH is unclear and optimal and cost-effective screening strategies yet to be established. METHODS: We evaluated the CTEPD/CTEPH referral rate to the UK national multidisciplinary team (MDT) during the 2017-2022 period to establish the national incidence of CTEPD/CTEPH potentially attributable to COVID-19-associated PE with historical comparator years. All individual cases of suspected CTEPH were reviewed by the MDT for evidence of associated COVID-19. In a separate multicentre cohort, the risk of developing CTEPH following hospitalisation with COVID-19 was calculated using simple clinical parameters at a median of 5 months post-hospital discharge according to existing risk scores using symptoms, ECG and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide. RESULTS: By the second year of the pandemic, CTEPH diagnoses had returned to the pre-pandemic baseline (23.1 versus 27.8 cases per month; p=0.252). Of 334 confirmed CTEPD/CTEPH cases, four (1.2%) patients were identified to have CTEPH potentially associated with COVID-19 PE, and a further three (0.9%) CTEPD without PH. Of 1094 patients (mean age 58 years, 60.4% male) hospitalised with COVID-19 screened across the UK, 11 (1.0%) were at high risk of CTEPH at follow-up, none of whom had a diagnosis of CTEPH made at the national MDT. CONCLUSION: A priori risk of developing CTEPH following COVID-19-related hospitalisation is low. Simple risk scoring is a potentially effective way of screening patients for further investigation.

Prevalence and Clinical Characteristics of Heterozygous RNF213 p.Arg4810Lys Variant Carriers Diagnosed With Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension.

BACKGROUND: Ring finger protein 213 (RNF213) p.Arg4810Lys is a susceptibility gene for moyamoya disease, peripheral pulmonary artery stenosis (PPS), and other vascular diseases and thrombosis. We investigated the prevalence and clinical characteristics of RNF213 variant carriers diagnosed with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). METHODS AND RESULTS: We retrospectively analyzed the prevalence of the RNF213 p.Arg4810Lys variant in patients diagnosed with CTEPH (n=112) and PPS (n=10). Clinical and angiographic characteristics were evaluated between RNF213 variant carriers diagnosed with CTEPH and noncarriers with CTEPH and homozygous variant carriers with PPS. Eight heterozygous RNF213 p.Arg4810Lys variant carriers (7.1%) were identified among patients diagnosed with CTEPH, while 5 patients with PPS (50%) carried the homozygous variant. The clinical characteristics of heterozygous variant carriers with CTEPH were not remarkably different from those of noncarriers with CTEPH. All heterozygous variant carriers with CTEPH showed webs/bands lesions at the segmental/subsegmental level, with 75% showing distal tortuous vessels. None of the heterozygous variant carriers with CTEPH exhibited the string-of-beads pattern or elongated stenosis. Homozygous variant carriers with PPS showed the string-of-beads pattern, elongated stenosis, and distal tortuous vessels without webs/bands lesions. CONCLUSIONS: A subset of patients diagnosed with CTEPH (7.1%) carried the heterozygous RNF213 p.Arg4810Lys variant. Clinical and angiographic characteristics of heterozygous variant carriers were not remarkably different from those of noncarriers of CTEPH. However, both heterozygous variant carriers with CTEPH and homozygous variant carriers with PPS showed tortuous vessels on angiography.

The genetic effects of hormones modulated by the Pituitary-Thyroid/Adrenal/Gonadal axis on the risk of developing venous thromboembolism: a mendelian randomization study.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to explore the genetic effects of hormones modulated through the pituitary-thyroid/adrenal/gonadal axis on the risk of developing venous thromboembolism (VTE) and to investigate the potentially causal relationships between them. METHODS: A two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) design was used. The single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) used as instrumental variables for various hormones and hormone-mediated diseases were derived from published genome-wide association studies (GWASs). Summary statistics for the risk of developing VTE (including deep venous thrombosis [DVT] and pulmonary embolism [PE]) were obtained from the UK Biobank and the FinnGen consortium. Inverse-variance weighting (IVW) was applied as the primary method to analyse causal associations. Other MR methods were used for supplementary estimates and sensitivity analysis. RESULTS: A genetic predisposition to greater free thyroxine (FT4) concentrations was associated with a greater risk of developing DVT (OR = 1.0007, 95%CI [1.0001-1.0013], p = 0.0174) and VTE (OR = 1.0008, 95%CI [1.0002-1.0013], p = 0.0123). Genetically predicted hyperthyroidism was significantly associated with an increased risk of developing DVT (OR = 1.0685, 95%CI [1.0139-1.1261], p = 0.0134) and VTE (OR = 1.0740, 95%CI [1.0165-1.1348], p = 0.0110). According to the initial MR analysis, testosterone concentrations were positively associated with the risk of developing VTE (OR = 1.0038, 95%CI [1.004-1.0072], p = 0.0285). After sex stratification, estradiol concentrations were positively associated with the risk of developing DVT (OR = 1.0143, 95%CI [1.0020-1.0267], p = 0.0226) and VTE (OR = 1.0156, 95%CI [1.0029-1.0285], p = 0.0158) in females, while the significant relationship between testosterone and VTE did not persist. SHBG rs858518 was identified as the only SNP that was associated with an increased risk of developing VTE, mediated by estradiol, in females. CONCLUSIONS: Genetically predicted hyperthyroidism and increased FT4 concentrations were positively associated with the risk of developing VTE. The effects of genetically predicted sex hormones on the risk of developing VTE differed between males and females. Greater genetically predicted estradiol concentrations were associated with an increased risk of developing VTE in females, while the SHBG rs858518 variant may become a potential prevention and treatment target for female VTE.

Cohort study of cardiovascular safety of different COVID-19 vaccination doses among 46 million adults in England.

The first dose of COVID-19 vaccines led to an overall reduction in cardiovascular events, and in rare cases, cardiovascular complications. There is less information about the effect of second and booster doses on cardiovascular diseases. Using longitudinal health records from 45.7 million adults in England between December 2020 and January 2022, our study compared the incidence of thrombotic and cardiovascular complications up to 26 weeks after first, second and booster doses of brands and combinations of COVID-19 vaccines used during the UK vaccination program with the incidence before or without the corresponding vaccination. The incidence of common arterial thrombotic events (mainly acute myocardial infarction and ischaemic stroke) was generally lower after each vaccine dose, brand and combination. Similarly, the incidence of common venous thrombotic events, (mainly pulmonary embolism and lower limb deep venous thrombosis) was lower after vaccination. There was a higher incidence of previously reported rare harms after vaccination: vaccine-induced thrombotic thrombocytopenia after first ChAdOx1 vaccination, and myocarditis and pericarditis after first, second and transiently after booster mRNA vaccination (BNT-162b2 and mRNA-1273). These findings support the wide uptake of future COVID-19 vaccination programs.

The prevalence, risk factors, and outcomes of acute pulmonary embolism complicating sepsis and septic shock: a national inpatient sample analysis.

The study aimed to evaluate the prevalence, risk factors, and clinical outcomes of pulmonary embolism in patients diagnosed with sepsis with and without shock. The National Inpatient Sample was used to identify adults with sepsis with and without shock between 2017 and 2019. The prevalence of acute pulmonary embolism and the association of acute pulmonary embolism with in-hospital mortality, hospital length of stay for survivors, and overall costs of hospitalization were evaluated. Multivariable logistic and linear regression analyses, adjusted for various parameters, were used to explore these associations. Of the estimated 5,019,369 sepsis hospitalizations, 1.2% of patients with sepsis without shock and 2.3% of patients with septic shock developed pulmonary embolism. The odds ratio for in-hospital mortality was 1.94 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.85-2.03, p < 0.001). The coefficient for hospital length of stay was 3.24 (95% CI 3.03-3.45, p < 0.001). The coefficient for total costs was 46,513 (95% CI 43,079-49,947, p < 0.001). The prevalence of pulmonary embolism in patients diagnosed with sepsis with and without shock was 1.2 and 2.3%, respectively. Acute pulmonary embolism was associated with higher in-hospital mortality, longer hospital length of stay for survivors, and higher overall costs of hospitalization.

Association of Cannabis Use Disorder With Hospitalizations for Pulmonary Embolism and Subsequent in-Hospital Mortality in Young Adults: A Contemporary Nationwide Analysis.

BACKGROUND: With the increase in popularity of cannabis and its use and the lack of large-scale data on cannabis use and venous thromboembolism and pulmonary embolism (PE), we used a nationally representative cohort of young adults (aged 18-44 years) to compare the odds of admissions and in-hospital mortality of PE with and without cannabis use disorder (CUD). METHODS AND RESULTS: Identified patients with PE using the National Inpatient Sample (2018) were compared for baseline, comorbidities, and outcomes. Multivariable regression analysis, adjusted for covariates, was used to compare the odds of PE in young patients with CUD (CUD+) versus those without (CUD-) and those with prior venous thromboembolism. Propensity score-matched analysis (1:6) was also performed to assess in-hospital outcomes. A total of 61 965 (0.7%) of 8 438 858 young adult admissions in 2018 were PE related, of which 1705 (0.6%) had CUD+. On both unadjusted (odds ratio, 0.80 [95% CI, 0.71-0.90]; P<0.001) and adjusted regression analyses, the CUD+ cohort had a lower risk of PE admission. The CUD+ cohort had fewer routine discharges (58.3% versus 68.3%) and higher transfers to short-term (7.9% versus 4.8%) and nursing/intermediate care (12.6% versus 9.5%) (P<0.001). The PE-CUD+ cohort of in-hospital mortality did not differ from the CUD- cohort. Propensity score-matched (1:6) analysis revealed comparable mortality odds with higher median hospital stay and cost in the CUD+ cohort. CONCLUSIONS: Young adults with CUD demonstrated lower odds of PE hospitalizations without any association with subsequent in-hospital mortality. The median hospital stay of the CUD+ cohort was longer, they were often transferred to other facilities, and they had a higher cost.

Incidence and risk factors of postoperative pulmonary complications following total hip arthroplasty revision: a retrospective Nationwide Inpatient Sample database study.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) are among the most severe complications following total hip arthroplasty revision (THAR), imposing significant burdens on individuals and society. This study examined the prevalence and risk factors of PPCs following THAR using the NIS database, identifying specific pulmonary complications (SPCs) and their associated risks, including pneumonia, acute respiratory failure (ARF), and pulmonary embolism (PE). METHODS: The National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database was used for this cross-sectional study. The analysis included patients undergoing THAR based on NIS from 2010 to 2019. Available data include demographic data, diagnostic and procedure codes, total charges, length of stay (LOS), hospital information, insurance information, and discharges. RESULTS: From the NIS database, a total of 112,735 THAR patients in total were extracted. After THAR surgery, there was a 2.62% overall incidence of PPCs. Patients with PPCs after THAR demonstrated increased LOS, total charges, usage of Medicare, and in-hospital mortality. The following variables have been determined as potential risk factors for PPCs: advanced age, pulmonary circulation disorders, fluid and electrolyte disorders, weight loss, congestive heart failure, metastatic cancer, other neurological disorders (encephalopathy, cerebral edema, multiple sclerosis etc.), coagulopathy, paralysis, chronic pulmonary disease, renal failure, acute heart failure, deep vein thrombosis, acute myocardial infarction, peripheral vascular disease, stroke, continuous trauma ventilation, cardiac arrest, blood transfusion, dislocation of joint, and hemorrhage. CONCLUSIONS: Our study revealed a 2.62% incidence of PPCs, with pneumonia, ARF, and PE accounting for 1.24%, 1.31%, and 0.41%, respectively. A multitude of risk factors for PPCs were identified, underscoring the importance of preoperative optimization to mitigate PPCs and enhance postoperative outcomes.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbation purulence status and its association with pulmonary embolism: protocol for a systematic review with meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) increases the risk of pulmonary embolism (PE). AECOPD and PE have similar symptoms which results in a high proportion of patients with AECOPD undergoing imaging to rule out PE. Finding predictors and explanatory factors of PE in AECOPD, such as purulence status, could help reduce the need for imaging. This systematic review with meta-analysis aims to evaluate if there is an association between purulence status in AECOPD and PE diagnosis. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: MEDLINE, EMBASE and CENTRAL will be searched from database inception to April 2024. Randomised trials, cohort studies and cross-sectional studies on the prevalence of PE in patients with AECOPD will be included if the prevalence of PE based on the AECOPD purulence status is available. There will be no restriction on language. The primary outcome will be PE at the initial assessment and secondary outcomes will be all venous thromboembolism (deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and PE) and DVT, respectively, diagnosed at the initial assessment. Relative risks with their 95% CI will be calculated by using a Mantel-Haenszel random-effect model to compare the association between the risk of PE and the AECOPD purulence status (purulent vs non-purulent/unknown). Subgroup analyses will be performed based on the type of study, systematic search of PE versus no systematic search of PE and localisation of PE. Risk of bias will be evaluated by the ROBINS-E tool, publication bias will be evaluated with the funnel plot. The manuscript will be drafted based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis statement. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study does not require ethics approval. This work will be submitted for presentation at an international conference and for publication in a peer-reviewed journal. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42023459429.