A retrospective observational study investigating the factors associated with right heart failure in patients with primary acute pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis.

BACKGROUND

The relationship between the risk of right heart failure in primary acute pulmonary embolism after embolization and the residual thrombus sites in the pelvis and lower limbs is not clear.

METHODS

This single-center retrospective observational study examined the results of contrast-enhanced computed tomography and venous ultrasonography of patients with primary acute PE and DVT. We assessed the association between the occurrence of right heart failure and age; gender; pulmonary thrombosis distribution; most proximal site of deep vein thrombosis in the soleal vein, inferior vena cava (IVC), or common iliac vein (CIV); DVT distribution; and malignancy using univariate and multivariate logistic regression.

RESULTS

In all, 77 of 165 patients were male (mean age: 65.1 ± 13.7 years). Right heart failure occurred in 53 patients (32.1%). Multivariate analysis revealed that the odds ratio (OR) for right heart failure was significantly lower in patients with the most proximal site of DVT in the IVC/CIV (OR = 0.07, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.01-0.62, = .017), while it was significantly higher in females (OR = 2.51, 95% CI 1.05-6.01, = .039), and in patients who exhibited the presence of bilateral venous thrombosis (OR = 3.89, 95% CI 1.60-9.48, = .003).

CONCLUSION

A significant factor involved in PE without right heart failure was the most proximal site of DVT in the IVC/CIV, and significant risk factors associated with PE with right heart failure were more prevalent in females and in patients who exhibited the presence of bilateral venous thrombosis.