Effect of a Pulmonary Embolism Diagnostic Strategy on Clinical Outcomes in Patients Hospitalized for COPD Exacerbation: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

ABSTRACT:

Importance

Active search for pulmonary embolism (PE) may improve outcomes in patients hospitalized for exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Objective

To compare usual care plus an active strategy for diagnosing PE with usual care alone in patients hospitalized for COPD exacerbation.

Design, setting, and participants

Randomized clinical trial conducted across 18 hospitals in Spain. A total of 746 patients were randomized from September 2014 to July 2020 (final follow-up was November 2020).

Interventions

Usual care plus an active strategy for diagnosing PE (D-dimer testing and, if positive, computed tomography pulmonary angiogram) (n = 370) vs usual care (n = 367).

Main outcomes and measures

The primary outcome was a composite of

SUBMITTER: Jimenez D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8493436 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature