Incidence and Outcomes of Pulmonary Embolism among Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients

Omaima Ibrahim Badr, Hassan Alwafi, Wael Aly Elrefaey, Abdallah Y. Naser, Mohammed Shabrawishi, Zahra Alsairafi and Fatemah M. Alsaleh
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Omaima Ibrahim Badr: Department of Chest Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt
Hassan Alwafi: Faculty of Medicine, Umm Al Qura University, Mecca 21514, Saudi Arabia
Wael Aly Elrefaey: Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Al Noor Specialist Hospital, Mecca 20424, Saudi Arabia
Abdallah Y. Naser: Department of Applied Pharmaceutical Sciences and Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Isra University, Amman 11622, Jordan
Mohammed Shabrawishi: Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Al Noor Specialist Hospital, Mecca 20424, Saudi Arabia
Zahra Alsairafi: Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy, Kuwait University, Kuwait City 12037, Kuwait
Fatemah M. Alsaleh: Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy, Kuwait University, Kuwait City 12037, Kuwait

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 14, 1-10

Abstract: Objectives: Patients with COVID-19 may be at high risk for thrombotic complications due to excess inflammatory response and stasis of blood flow. This study aims to assess the incidence of pulmonary embolism among hospitalized patients with COVID-19, risk factors, and the impact on survival. Methods: A retrospective case-control study was conducted at Al-Noor Specialist Hospital in Saudi Arabia between 15 March 2020 and 15 June 2020. Patients with confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis by a real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and confirmed diagnosis of pulmonary embolism by Computed Tomography pulmonary angiogram (CTPA) formed the case group. Patients with confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis by a real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and without confirmed diagnose of pulmonary embolism formed the control group. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify predictors of pulmonary embolism and survival. Results: A total of 159 patients participated were included in the study, of which 51 were the cases (patients with pulmonary embolism) and 108 patients formed the control group (patients without pulmonary embolism). The incidence of PE among those hospitalized was around 32%. Smoking history, low level of oxygen saturation, and higher D-dimer values were important risk factors that were associated with a higher risk of developing PE ( p < 0.05). Higher respiratory rate was associated with higher odds of death, and decreased the possibility of survival among hospitalized patients with PE. Conclusions: Pulmonary embolism is common among hospitalized patients with COVID-19. Preventive measures should be considered for hospitalized patients with smoking history, low level of oxygen saturation, high D-dimer values, and high respiratory rate.

Keywords: COVID-19; hospitalized; pulmonary embolism; survival (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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