Frequency of pulmonary embolism in patients with circulatory disturbances of the lower limb or intestine. An autopsy study.

The frequency of pulmonary embolism in patients with circulatory disturbances in the lower limbs (CDLL) or intestine (CDI) were investigated in an autopsy series. Pulmonary embolism was seen more frequently in patients with CDLL than in patients with CDI. This difference was maintained irrespective of duration of last admission. Patients with CDLL had pulmonary embolism in 36% of the cases when they stayed in the hospital for more than 5 days prior to death, versus 12% in CDI patients. Pulmonary embolism occurred with approximately equal frequency in all age-groups. Surgery had little influence on the occurrence of pulmonary embolism in patients with CDLL. In 85% of the CDLL cases, pulmonary embolism (n = 81) was considered the immediate cause of death at autopsy. The awareness of this life-threatening disease is poor as only 12% had been diagnosed prior to death.