Acute pulmonary embolism in COVID-19 pandemic: prevalence and intrahospital outcome: a single center experience

ABSTRACT

Purpose: We want to evaluate clinical, laboratory profiles and intra-hospital outcome in patients with acute PE treated in intensive care unit in the period of COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This is a single center, retrospective cohort study of patients with confirmed acute PE admitted in Intensive Cardiac Care Unit of a tertiary level university hospital between January and December 2020. Detailed history, risk factors, laboratory parameters and treatment strategy based on patient risk were assessed. All patients underwent 2-dimensional echocardiography, lower limb venous Doppler and CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA). sPESI score and intra-hospital outcomes were evaluated in all patients. Nasopharyngeal smear and realtime reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay was performed in order to confirm COVID-19 infection. Results: We studied 47 patients with acute PE treated in our ICU, with mean age 58.6 ± 19.4 years. Eight patients (17%) had massive PE (central thrombus) and 39 (83%) had sub massive PE (subsegmental thrombus) confirmed by CTPA. Six patients (12,7%) had history of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), 3 patients (6,3%) had history of prior PE, 4 patients (8,5%) were operated within 3 months, 7 patients (14,8%) had history of malignancy, 24 patient's had increased body weight and obesity (51%). Twelve patients (25,5%) were tested for COVID 19 with real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay, and 3 come positive (12.5%). Eight patients were high risk with shock (17%), intermediate high risk were 29 patients (61.7%) and intermediate low risk were 10 patients (21.3%). sPESI score was >1 in all 47 patients. Abnormal RV function with PAH was found in 32 patients (68%). Five high risk, unstable patients died within 72 hours of admission, resulting in an overall ICU mortality rate of 10,6% and 62.5% mortality rate in patients with cardiogenic shock. Patients with PE and COVID-19 had significantly higher D-dimer and hs-Troponin I levels comparing to the patients with patients negative for COVID-19. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed thrombolytic therapy OR 2.145 (95% CI 1.105-4,512), D-Dimers >4.500 ng/ml OR 1.893 (95% CI 0.932-3.241), high risk PE OR 3.98 (95% CI 1.396-5.641) and acute renal failure OR 2.421 (95% CI 1.105-4.762) as independent mortality predictors. Eight patients have been treated with fibrinolysis (t-PA), and 39 patients with Heparin therapy. 40 survived patients were discharged with NOAC treatment (95,2%). Conclusions: Pulmonary embolism cardiology clinic ICU admission in the period of COVID-19 pandemic decreased, with increase of PE severity, patients risk and mortality rate. Thrombolytic therapy, D-Dimers >4.500 ng/ml, high risk PE and acute renal failure were independent mortality predictors. Thrombolysis was successful treatment for high risk patients with low bleeding risk.