Changes of the proportion and mortality of pulmonary thromboembolism in hospitalized patients from 1974 to 2005.
BACKGROUND
Pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) has become a common disease that severely endangers people's health. This study analysed the changes in proportion and mortality of PTE in hospitalized patients to provide data for prevention and management of the disease.


METHODS
The data of 763 hospitalized patients with PTE from 1974 to 2005 in Fuwai Hospital were analysed.


RESULTS
During the 1970s, 0.27% of patients in a cardiovascular hospital had PTE (< 5 cases per year); while so far this century the proportion is 0.94% (48 to 113 per year). The mortality of hospitalized PTE patients fell from 20.00% in the 1970s to 4.10% this century. Prior to 1990, the mortality of hospitalized PTE patients was 12.50%, and in the years after 1990 only 3.40%. The difference was statistically significant (P < 0.005). People with this disease were mostly between the ages of 30 and 69 years. Men were most susceptible between the ages of 30 and 69 years, while women between the ages of 40 and 69 years. Men contracted PTE 10 years earlier than women. The mortality of male PTE patients was 4.70%, not significantly different from female patients, 5.06% (0.50 < P < 0.75). There were not any significant differences between the mortality of patients in the different age groups overall (< or = 39, 40 - 49, 50 - 59, and > or = 60 years, P > 0.1). More people contracted the disease in winter than in other seasons (P < 0.05). There was no obvious difference between the mortality in different seasons overall (0.75 < P < 0.90).


CONCLUSIONS
PTE is an increasingly significant disease and deserves adequate attention.
Tan
Xiao-yan
XY
Centre of Diagnosis and Management of Pulmonary Vascular Diseases, Fuwai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100037, China.
He
Jian-guo
JG
Zou
Zhi-peng
ZP
Zhao
Yan-fen
YF
Chen
Bai-ping
BP
Gao
Ying
Y
Xiong
Chang-ming
CM
Ni
Xin-hai
XH
Cheng
Xian-sheng
XS
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D012621:Seasons; D013997:Time Factors