title: Pulmonary embolism in pediatrics.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pulmonary embolism (PE), an uncommon diagnosis in pediatric patients, is a potentially life-threatening condition with significant morbidity and mortality. Improvements in pediatric care have resulted in survival of more chronically and critically ill children and thus, an increased number of pediatric patients at risk for this disease.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We review the pathophysiology, risk factors, presentation, diagnosis, and initial management of PE in pediatric patients presenting to the Emergency Department.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although there is a significant lack of pediatric-specific literature pertaining to the diagnosis and management of PE, there are clear differences in the emergency approach to these patients, including specific risk factors and the inutility of clinical decision rules and D-dimer. CONCLUSION/SUMMARY: We outline these differences and present rational diagnostic and treatment algorithms.
authors.affiliation: McGill Emergency Medicine Residency Training Program, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Patocka
authors.forename: Joe
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nemeth
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D012307:Risk Factors