Hestia criteria can discriminate high- from low-risk patients with pulmonary embolism.

We investigated whether the clinical criteria used in the Hestia study for selection of pulmonary embolism (PE) patients for outpatient treatment could discriminate PE patients with high and low risk for adverse clinical outcome. We performed a cohort study with PE patients who were triaged with 11 criteria for outpatient treatment. Patients not eligible for outpatient treatment were treated in hospital. Study outcomes were recurrent venous thromboembolism, major bleeding and all-cause mortality during 3 months. In total, 530 patients were included, of which 297 were treated at home. In the outpatient group, six patients (2.0%, 95% CI 0.7-4.3%) had recurrent venous thromboembolism versus nine in-patients (3.9%, 95% CI 1.9-7.0%). Three patients (1.0%, 95% CI 0.2-2.9) died during the 3-months follow-up in the outpatient group versus 22 patients (9.6%, 95% CI 6.3-14) in the in-patient group (p<0.05). None of the outpatients died as a result of fatal PE versus five (2.2%) in-patients (p<0.05). In the outpatient group, 0.7% (95% CI 0.08-2.4) had major bleeding events versus 4.8% (95% CI 2.4-8.4) of in-patients (p<0.05). This study showed that the Hestia criteria can discriminate PE patients with low risk from patients with high risk for adverse clinical outcome. The low-risk patients can safely be treated at home.

The combination of four different clinical decision rules and an age-adjusted D-dimer cut-off increases the number of patients in whom acute pulmonary embolism can safely be excluded.

Four clinical decision rules (CDRs) (Wells score, Revised Geneva Score (RGS), simplified Wells score and simplified RGS) safely exclude pulmonary embolism (PE), when combined with a normal D-dimer test. Recently, an age-adjusted cut-off of the D-dimer (patient's age x 10 µg/l) safely increased the number of patients above 50 years in whom PE could safely be excluded. We validated the age-adjusted D-dimer test and assessed its performance in combination with the four CDRs in patients with suspected PE. A total of 414 consecutive patients with suspected PE who were older than 50 years were included. The proportion of patients in whom PE could be excluded with an 'unlikely' clinical probability combined with a normal age-adjusted D-dimer test was calculated and compared with the proportion using the conventional D-dimer cut-off. We assessed venous thromboembolism (VTE) failure rates during three months follow-up. In patients above 50 years, a normal age-adjusted D-dimer level in combination with an 'unlikely' CDR substantially increased the number of patients in whom PE could be safely excluded: from 13-14% to 19-22% in all CDRs similarly. In patients over 70 years, the number of exclusions was nearly four-fold higher, and the original Wells score excluded most patients, with an increase from 6% to 21% combined with the conventional and age-adjusted D-dimer cut-off, respectively. The number of VTE failures was also comparable in all CDRs. In conclusion, irrespective of which CDR is used, the age-adjusted D-dimer substantially increases the number of patients above 50 years in whom PE can be safely excluded.

[Interstitial pneumonitis as a side effect of rituximab]. / Interstitiële pneumonitis als bijwerking van rituximab.

A 42-year-old man with large B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma was admitted to hospital after eight chemotherapy cycles of rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisolone (R-CHOP). He had high fever, non-productive cough, dyspnoea, and on chest X-ray, interstitial infiltrations. Extensive microbiological investigation excluded any infection, including opportunistic infection. Positron emission tomography (PET) scan was negative at previous lymphoma sites, but showed diffuse fluorodeoxyglucose uptake in both lungs. Pulmonary function testing demonstrated a restrictive pattern and a diffusion deficit. Review of the literature showed that this clinical picture closely corresponded with that of rituximab-induced interstitial pneumonitis. Treatment with prednisolone, 40 mg/day, resulted in a fast and complete recovery. Physicians administering rituximab should be aware of rituximab-induced interstitial pneumonitis, since according to recent literature this condition occurs in 9-14% of patients. It can run a mild course, but can also be fatal. Besides stopping rituximab, most patients need corticosteroid therapy.

Clinically suspected acute recurrent pulmonary embolism: a diagnostic challenge.

It is unknown whether strategies validated for diagnosing pulmonary embolism (PE) are valid in patients with a history of PE. It was the objective of this study to investigate whether a diagnostic algorithm consisting of sequential application of a clinical decision rule (CDR), a quantitative D-dimer test and computed tomography (CT) safely ruled out a clinical suspicion of acute recurrent PE. Data were obtained from a diagnostic outcome study of patients suspected of PE. Acute recurrent PE was ruled out by an unlikely probability of PE (CDR score

Hypofractionated external beam radiotherapy as retreatment for symptomatic non-small-cell lung carcinoma: an effective treatment?

PURPOSE: To evaluate prospectively the efficacy, toxicity, and duration of the palliative effect of retreatment with external beam radiotherapy in symptomatic patients with recurrent non-small-cell lung cancer. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Twenty-eight symptomatic patients with local recurrence of non-small-cell lung cancer underwent repeated treatment after previous radiotherapy (equivalent dose, 46-60 Gy). Reirradiation consisted of two fractions of 8 Gy on Days 1 and 8 with two opposed beams using 6-18-MV photon beams at the site of pulmonary recurrence. The physician scored symptom resolution. RESULTS: Relief of hemoptysis and superior vena cava syndrome could be obtained in all assessable cases (100%). Treatment was less effective for coughing (67%) and dyspnea (35%). The overall median duration of this palliative effect was 4 months. Palliation in almost all patients lasted more than one-half of their remaining life span. The Karnofsky performance score improved in 45% of assessable cases. One patient had Grade 2 esophagitis. Complications consisted of tumor-related fatal hemoptysis in 5 patients (17%) and 1 death from bronchoesophageal fistula (4%). CONCLUSION: External beam hypofractionated reirradiation can be effective as a palliative treatment for local complaints in non-small-cell lung cancer. The complication rate of reirradiation was acceptably low.