Prevalence of Pulmonary Embolism among Patients Hospitalized for Syncope
Authors' conclusion
Pulmonary embolism was identified in nearly one of every six patients hospitalized for a first episode of syncope.
Study context
- Population
- Patients hospitalized for a first episode of syncope, 11 hospitals in Italymean age 76 years
- Participants
- 560 patients
- Exposure
- Alternative explanation vs No alternative explanation
- Alternative explanationn = 355
- No alternative explanationn = 205
- Outcome
- Prevalence of PE (ruled out by low Wells pretest probability + negative d-dimer; otherwise CT pulmonary angiography or ventilation-perfusion scan)
Methodological detailsmulticentre, 11 hospitals in Italy
- Multicentre
- 11 hospitals in Italy
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Prevalence of PE
Prevalence of PE, entire cohort
17.3%
95% CI 14.2 to 20.5
PE ruled out by low pretest probability + negative d-dimer
330 of 560
58.9%
PE identified among remaining 230 patients
97
42.2%
Embolus in main pulmonary/lobar artery or perfusion defects >25% of both lungs
61 patients
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
PE by alternative explanation for syncope (subgroup)
Original publication
Prevalence of Pulmonary Embolism among Patients Hospitalized for Syncope. N Engl J Med. Published 20 October 2016. doi:10.
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it