Permanent atrial fibrillation and pulmonary embolism in elderly patients without deep vein thrombosis: is there a relationship?
Aging Clin Exp Res
; 31(8): 1121-1128, 2019 Aug.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-30374888
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND AIM:
Permanent Atrial Fibrillation (pAF) is associated with increased risk of embolic complications. The relationship between pAF and pulmonary embolism (PE) has not been extensively investigated in elderly patients. Here, we aim at verifying whether pAF is associated to an increased risk of PE in a cohort of elderly patients with and without Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT).METHODS:
235 patients older than 65 years with PE with or without pAF were retrospectively enrolled and stratified by the absence or presence of DVT. The diagnosis of PE was performed by computed tomography angiography (CTA). Right echocardiographic parameters were monitored. The severity of PE was evaluated by CTA quantization (PE score = 1, involvement of main branches of pulmonary artery) and by dimer-D (> 3000 µg/L).RESULTS:
DVT was identified only in 51 cases of PE (21.7%). pAF prevalence was higher in PE without than in those with DVT (64.9% vs. 35.1%, p < 0.01). PE severity was more evident in pAF patients without than in those with DVT. Multivariate analysis of the role of pAF on PE severity confirms these results (RR = 3.41 for PE score = 1, and 8.55 for dimer-D > 3000 µg/L).CONCLUSIONS:
We conclude that in elderly patients with PE, the prevalence of pFA was doubled, in the absence of DVT, and it is associated with a more severe PE in the absence than in the presence of DVT. Thus, in the absence of DVT, pFA should be considered as cause of PE.Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Embolia Pulmonar
/
Fibrilação Atrial
Tipo de estudo:
Etiology_studies
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Incidence_studies
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Observational_studies
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Prevalence_studies
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Prognostic_studies
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Risk_factors_studies
Limite:
Aged
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Aged80
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Female
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Humans
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Male
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2019
Tipo de documento:
Article