title: [Early complications in patients with pulmonary embolism].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Mortality, recurrences and hemorrhages are the most serious early complications of pulmonary embolism (PE). We intended to ascertain the frequency and mechanisms of complications within the first 10 days after PE was diagnosed.
  
  
  METHODS
  We included patients suspected of suffering PE between December 2003 and August 2004 from 8 hospitals. We performed a multicenter observational prospective study of 8 Spanish hospitals with consecutive outpatients diagnosed with PE. Database of clinical variables: computerized Registry of Patients with Venous Thromboembolism (RIETE). Statistic analysis included chi2 and Student's t test to compare the 2 groups of patients (with and without complications).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six hundred eighty one patients were included, 336 men and 345 women (mean age 66 and 70, respectively). During the first 10 days, 33 (4.8%) of them died, and 22 (3.2%) had an hemorrhage yet no recurrences appeared. Previous immobilization and the presence of respiratory failure, cancer or renal failure were significantly associated with early complications while previous surgery and thoracic pain were not associated with those.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Early complications and some of the associated factors were in agreement with published data. Other situations such as previous surgery or thoracic pain appeared to be protective factors.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Neumología, Hospital La Fe, Valencia, España. dneuffal@separ.es
authors.forename: Dolores
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nauffal
authors.forename: Aurelio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cayuela
authors.forename: Remedios
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Otero
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jiménez
authors.forename: Mikel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oribe
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Conget
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Laserna
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Uresandi
authors.forename: Miguel Angel
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Cabezudo
authors.forename: Montserrat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: León
authors.forename: Rosalía
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Doménech
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000150:complications* / Q000401:mortality