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Chang HY, Chen PW, Chang WT, Yeh JK, Liu PY, Hsu CH, Lin CC. Evolutionary changes in thrombus features on computed tomography: An effective approach for identifying subacute pulmonary embolism. J Vasc Surg Venous Lymphat Disord 2023; 11:100-108.e1. [PMID: 35961630 DOI: 10.1016/j.jvsv.2022.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Revised: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Thrombus features on computed tomography (CT) play a key role in distinguishing between acute and chronic pulmonary embolisms (PEs). However, the thrombus features of subacute PE are largely unknown. METHODS This retrospective study included 358 patients (age, 65 ± 16 years; percentage of men, 38%) diagnosed with PE from 2008 to 2019. The patients were divided into a study group and a verification group. Thrombus features that changed over time were determined in the study group according to the time of PE occurrence. Next, we determined the thrombus features of subacute PE and verified them in the verification group. Finally, we compared clinical deterioration and the 1-month mortality rate between the patients with acute and subacute PEs. RESULTS The main feature of eccentric thrombi that changed over time was the angle with the arterial wall, whereas those of centric thrombi were recanalization and heterogeneity. Taken together, the features of subacute PE were determined to be an obtuse angle with the arterial wall, recanalization, and heterogeneity. The accuracy of these features in identifying subacute PE was 94% during verification. Between the patients with acute and subacute PEs, there was no significant difference in clinical deterioration (19% vs 14%; P = .32) or the 1-month mortality rate (15% vs 8%; P = .11). With multivariate analysis, subacute events were also not associated with clinical deterioration (P = .8) or the 1-month mortality rate (P = .11). CONCLUSIONS We determined the time trend of thrombus features on CT in patients with PE and found that these features can improve the identification of subacute events. Patients with acute and subacute PEs do not have different risks of clinical deterioration and 1-month mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsien-Yuan Chang
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Po-Wei Chen
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Wei-Ting Chang
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan; Department of Biotechnology, Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Jian-Kuan Yeh
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Ping-Yen Liu
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Hsin Hsu
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Chan Lin
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, An Nan Hospital, China Medical University, Tainan, Taiwan.
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