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      Association of Right Ventricular Dilatation with Bilateral Pulmonary Embolism, Pulmonary Embolism in a Main Pulmonary Artery and Lobar, Segmental and Subsegmental Pulmonary Embolism in 190 Patients with Acute Pulmonary Embolism

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          Abstract

          Background: Acute pulmonary embolism (PE) may result in right ventricular (RV) pressure overload with a dilated RV which can be diagnosed by two-dimensional echocardiography. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed in 190 unselected patients who had acute PE documented by contrast-enhanced spiral computed tomographic scanning. The 190 patients included 104 women and 86 men, mean age 58 ± 15 years. Results: RV dilatation was present in 45 of 70 patients (64%) with bilateral PE, in 19 of 120 patients (16%) without bilateral PE, in 42 of 47 patients (89%) with main pulmonary artery embolism, in 34 of 84 patients (40%) with lobar PE, in 16 of 70 patients (23%) with segmental PE and in 6 of 36 patients (17%) with subsegmental PE; p < 0.001 comparing bilateral with no bilateral PE and main pulmonary artery embolism with no main pulmonary artery embolism, with lobar, segmental and subsegmental PE; p < 0.025 comparing lobar with segmental PE, and p < 0.02 comparing lobar with subsegmental PE. Conclusion: The prevalence of RV dilatation is highest in patients with main pulmonary artery embolism or bilateral pulmonary artery embolism; furthermore, the prevalence of RV dilatation is higher in patients with lobar PE than in patients with segmental or subsegmental PE.

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          Diagnostic utility of echocardiography in patients with suspected pulmonary embolism.

          The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical utility of echocardiography in the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism (PE). For this, we enrolled 162 patients with suspected PE in a prospective study. We evaluated the sensitivity and specificity of right ventricular dilatation, the Doppler evidence of pulmonary hypertension, and their possible associations. We also calculated the number of lung-scan angiography procedures avoided and the number of patients unnecessarily treated when echocardiography was included in the diagnostic work-up. The sensitivity and specificity of echocardiography ranged between 29 and 52% and between 96% and 87%, respectively. Adding echocardiography to the diagnostic strategy for PE would avoid about 12 to 28% of lung-scan angiography procedures, but would cause inappropriate treatment of 4 to 14% of all treated patients. The clinical utility of echocardiography in the diagnosis of PE is limited. The reduction in the number of standard diagnostic procedures obtained through its use would be counterbalanced by an excess of patients inappropriately treated.
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            Echocardiographic findings in patients with proved pulmonary embolism.

            Echocardiographic studies were performed in 105 patients with acute and recurrent pulmonary emboli. Pulmonary embolism was confirmed by pulmonary angiography (n = 48), autopsy (n = 6), and lung perfusion scintigraphy (n = 51). Seventy of 93 patients (75%) displayed a dilated right ventricle, 38 of 91 patients (42%) had reduced left ventricular cavity dimension, 41 of 82 patients (50%) had a decreased EF slope of the mitral valve, and 78 of 101 patients (77%) showed dilatation of the right pulmonary artery. The motion of the interventricular septum was abnormal in 41 of 93 patients (44%). Right-sided thrombi were seen in 13 patients within the right pulmonary artery (n = 11) and in the right ventricle (n = 3); in one patient they were found in the superior vena cava, in the innominate vein, and the right atrium. Two patients suffered from right-sided endocarditis. Thus echocardiographic changes were frequently found in patients with proved pulmonary emboli. The echocardiographic findings of right-sided cardiac and pulmonary artery abnormalities indicate hemodynamically active pulmonary emboli.
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              Author and article information

              Journal
              CRD
              Cardiology
              10.1159/issn.0008-6312
              Cardiology
              S. Karger AG
              0008-6312
              1421-9751
              2005
              April 2005
              07 April 2005
              : 103
              : 3
              : 156-157
              Affiliations
              Department of Medicine, Cardiology Division, Westchester Medical Center/New York Medical College, Valhalla, N.Y., USA
              Article
              84585 Cardiology 2005;103:156–157
              10.1159/000084585
              15785020
              89dd73c9-7d6e-427f-add9-61624859b110
              © 2005 S. Karger AG, Basel

              Copyright: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be translated into other languages, reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, microcopying, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Drug Dosage: The authors and the publisher have exerted every effort to ensure that drug selection and dosage set forth in this text are in accord with current recommendations and practice at the time of publication. However, in view of ongoing research, changes in government regulations, and the constant flow of information relating to drug therapy and drug reactions, the reader is urged to check the package insert for each drug for any changes in indications and dosage and for added warnings and precautions. This is particularly important when the recommended agent is a new and/or infrequently employed drug. Disclaimer: The statements, opinions and data contained in this publication are solely those of the individual authors and contributors and not of the publishers and the editor(s). The appearance of advertisements or/and product references in the publication is not a warranty, endorsement, or approval of the products or services advertised or of their effectiveness, quality or safety. The publisher and the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to persons or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content or advertisements.

              History
              : 24 August 2004
              : 31 August 2004
              Page count
              Tables: 1, References: 5, Pages: 2
              Categories
              General Cardiology

              General medicine,Neurology,Cardiovascular Medicine,Internal medicine,Nephrology
              Right ventricular dilatation,Acute pulmonary embolism,Echocardiography

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