Differences in clinical features and risk factors of pulmonary thromboembolism between older and younger patients / 中国实用内科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective In order to improve diagnosis of pulmonary thromboembolism(PTE),the clinical features of pulmonary embolism between older and younger patients were compared.Methods Totally 105 patients(57 older and 48 younger)with diagnosed PTE were assessed retrospectively.Results There were more risk factors in the elderly as compared with younger group.Phlebitis was the major risk factor in both groups.Other risk factors,such as COPD,immobilization,malignancy and cardiac disease,were more frequent in the elderly;whereas in younger patients,intravenous drug injection and genetic factors were more frequent.Chest pain and hemoptysis were less frequent in older patients whereas syncope occurred more often in the older group."Triplicate symptoms" (including dyspnea,chest pain and hemoptysis)occurred more often in the younger group.Massive PTE occurred more often in the older patients.Severe complications were more frequent in cTnT-positive patients.Conclusion There are more risk factors in the elderly.The clinical presentation of PTE is often atypical in elderly patients,and prone to develop massive PTE.cTnT(Cardiac troponin T)is an independent predictor of prognostic implications in patients with confirmed PTE.