Usefulness of clinical prediction rules, D-dimer, and arterial blood gas analysis to predict pulmonary embolism in cancer patients

ABSTRACT

Objectives: Pulmonary embolism [PE] is seven times more common in cancer patients than non-cancer patients. Since the existing clinical prediction rules [CPRs] were validated predominantly in a non-cancer population, we decided to look at the utility of arterial blood gas [ABG] analysis and D-dimer in predicting PE in cancer patients