title: [Study of the echocardiographic diagnosis of acute pulmonary thromboembolism and risk factors for venous thromboembolism].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify the relationship of risk factors for atherosclerosis with venous thromboembolism (VTE) and the utility of transthoracic echocardiography in acute pulmonary thromboembolism (APTE).
  
  
  METHODS
  In 75 patients with VTE (VTE group), 101 patients with suspected VTE (N group), and 50 control subjects (control group), the frequency of atherosclerosis risk factors such as hyperlipidemia, obesity, hypertension, smoking, and diabetes mellitus and the number of risk factors were evaluated. Transthoracic echocardiographic findings such as tricuspid regurgitation, right ventricular dilation, pulmonary hypertension, and right ventricular dysfunction were evaluated in 15 patients with APTE (APTE group) and 38 patients in the N group (NC group).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The incidence of hyperlipidemia in the VTE group was statistically higher than that in the control group (odds ratio 2.16, 95% confidence interval 1.43-3.08). Additionally, the incidence of obesity was higher in the VTE and N groups than in the control group (odds ratio was 2.76, 95% confidence interval 1.67-4.37). Risk factors other than obesity and hyperlipidemia and the number of risk factors were not significant. The incidence of tricuspid regurgitation, right ventricular dilation, and pulmonary hypertension in APTE was statistically greater than that in NC group. Right ventricular dilation and right ventricular dilation + tricuspid regurgitation are reliable findings in echocardiography. However, even combining with tricuspid regurgitation, right ventricular dilation is insufficient to identify or screen patients with APTE.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hyperlipidemia and obesity may be risk factors for VTE. However, obese patients can manifest similar findings to VTE. Although transthoracic echocardiograpghy is not recommended as a diagnostic or screening test in APTE, it should be used as an ancillary test.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Center, Toho University School of Medicine, Sakura Hospital, Miyashita 564-1, Shimoshizu, Sakura, Chiba 285-0841.
authors.forename: Tsutomu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hirohashi
authors.forename: Kunio
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yoshinaga
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sakurai
authors.forename: Masahito
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kanai
authors.forename: Kazuhiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shimizu
authors.forename: Yuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sugiyama
authors.forename: Hirofumi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Noike
authors.forename: Hidefumi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ohsawa
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sakuragawa
authors.forename: Keiichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tokuhiro
authors.forename: Osamu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Takanobu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tomaru
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000150:complications; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013923:Thromboembolism / Q000209:etiology*; D014262:Tricuspid Valve Insufficiency / Q000150:complications; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000209:etiology*