Disposition of ED Patients with Pulmonary Embolism Diagnosed Before Arrival

In this retrospective study, patients who received a clinic diagnosis of PE before emergency department arrival were more commonly managed as outpatients than those whose diagnoses were made in the ED.

Outpatient management of low-risk pulmonary embolism (PE) is increasingly supported by professional society guidelines. To determine whether dispositions differed between emergency department (ED) patients with PE diagnosed in a clinic versus in the ED, researchers retrospectively analyzed records for 2352 adult patients from 21 EDs in an integrated healthcare delivery system.

Of these patients, 14.6% had a clinic-based diagnosis (based upon outpatient imaging within 12 hours before ED presentation) and the remainder received a diagnosis in the ED. The clinic-based cohort had a lower incidence of massive PE (0% vs. 0.4%) and submassive PE (11.3% vs. 29.9%). A clinic-based diagnosis was associated with a lower rate and lower odds of hospitali…

Reviewing Author

Lauren M. Westafer, DO, MPH, MS

Disclosures

Grant/Research SupportNational Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Editorial BoardsAnnals of Emergency Medicine

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesAcademy for Academic Women in Emergency Medicine (Social Media Chair)

Lauren M. Westafer, DO, MPH, MS

Disclosures

Grant/Research SupportNational Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Editorial BoardsAnnals of Emergency Medicine

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesAcademy for Academic Women in Emergency Medicine (Social Media Chair)

Disposition of ED Patients with Pulmonary Embolism Diagnosed Before Arrival

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Reviewing Author