title: Estimated case fatality rate of pulmonary embolism, 1979 to 1998.
abstract: Trends in the estimated case fatality rate of pulmonary embolism (PE) in the United States were obtained from the Bureau of the Census Compressed Mortality File and the National Hospital Discharge Survey. The estimated case fatality rate of PE increased from 1979 to 1989, then decreased through 1998. It increased exponentially with age and was higher in African-American than Caucasian patients (rate ratio 1.42; 95% confidence interval 1.40 to 1.44). The declining population mortality rate of PE from 1979 to 1989 appears to be due to a decreased incidence of PE, reflective of improved prophylaxis, whereas the continued declining population mortality rate of PE through 1998 reflects a decreased case fatality rate due to earlier and better management.
authors.affiliation: St. Joseph Mercy Oakland Hospital, Pontiac, Michigan, USA. steinp@trinity-health.org
authors.forename: Paul D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Stein
authors.forename: Fadi
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kayali
authors.forename: Ronald E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Olson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000208:ethnology / Q000401:mortality*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D044465:White People