title: Long-term outcome of patients with persistent vascular obstruction on computed tomography pulmonary angiography 6 months after acute pulmonary embolism.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The incidence and clinical significance of pulmonary residual thrombosis 6 months after an acute pulmonary embolism (PE) are still not well-known.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the association between residual vascular obstruction and the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) recurrence or death.
  
  
  METHODS
  Computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA) was repeated in 97 consecutive patients 6 months after an acute episode of hemodynamically stable pulmonary embolism. We assessed the long-term consequences of residual thrombosis on vital status and incidence of recurrent VTE.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six patients were lost for follow-up. The remaining 91 patients were classified according to the presence (Group 1: 18 cases) or absence (Group 2: 73 cases) of residual pulmonary vascular obstruction. After a mean ± SD of 2.91 ± 0.99 years, there were eight (8.8%) deaths and 11 (12.1%) VTE recurrences. Groups 1 and 2 did not differ in the incidence of death or VTE recurrence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Persistent pulmonary vascular obstruction on 6-month CTPA did not predict long-term adverse outcome events.
authors: The Respiratory Service, Hospital Lucus Augusti, Lugo, Spain. Rafael.golpe.gomez@sergas.es
authors: Rafael
authors: R
authors: Golpe
authors: Luis A Pérez
authors: LA
authors: de Llano
authors: Olalla
authors: O
authors: Castro-Añón
authors: Manuel
authors: M
authors: Vázquez-Caruncho
authors: Carlos
authors: C
authors: González-Juanatey
authors: María Carmen
authors: MC
authors: Fariñas
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000792:Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D012008:Recurrence; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014283:Triiodobenzoic Acids; D054556:Venous Thromboembolism / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D014283:Triiodobenzoic Acids; C054871:ioversol