Relative risk of pulmonary embolism in the very elderly compared with the elderly

Figures & data

Table 1 Comparison of clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment for pulmonary embolism in the study and control groups

	Study group (n = 11) (%)*	Control group (n = 148) (%)*	P value
Electrocardiogram
Sinus rhythm	10 (91)	91 (61)	0.051
Sinus tachycardia	0	20 (14)	0.192
Tachyarrhythmia absoluta in atrial fibrillation	1 (9)	8 (5)	0.61
Atrial fibrillation	0	27 (18)	0.12
Atrial flutter	0	2 (1)	0.698
T-negativity	3 (27)	24 (16)	0.346
S1Q3	1 (9)	11 (7)	0.841
Pacemaker	1 (9)	3 (2)	0.149
Clinical symptoms
Dyspnea	5 (45)	83 (56)	0.494
Chest pain	1 (9)	31 (21)	0.344
Cough	0	9 (6)	0.4
Hemoptysis	0	0	1.0
Tachypnea	0	0	1.0
Cervical venous obstruction	0	1 (1)	0.785
Hypotension	0	10 (7)	0.373
Shock	0	10 (7)	0.373
Cyanosis	0	4 (3)	0.581
Blood gas analysis
Hyperoxia	1 (9)	13 (9)	0.972
Hypoxia	4 (36)	78 (53)	0.296
Hypercapnia	0	0	1.0
Imaging modality
Chest computed tomography	9 (21)	131 (89)	0.509
Ventilation perfusion scintigraphy	2 (18)	11 (7)	0.209
Echocardiography	3 (27)	74 (50)	0.146
Venous duplex ultrasound, legs	8 (73)	100 (68)	0.724
Clinical diagnosis
Deep vein thrombosis, right	4 (36)	40 (27)	0.504
Deep vein thrombosis, left	3 (27)	26 (18)	0.421
Location of pulmonary embolism
Central right	0	23 (16)	0.157
Central left	0	8 (5)	0.429
Fulminant	2 (18)	28 (19)	0.952
Peripheral right	5 (45)	62 (42)	0.817
Peripheral left	2 (18)	46 (31)	0.369
Segmental	2 (18)	18 (12)	0.561
Hemodilution treatment
Full heparinization	3 (27)	61 (41)	0.363
Low molecular heparin	8 (73)	99 (67)	0.691
Warfarin	7 (64)	70 (47)	0.296
Argatroban	0	2 (1)	0.698
Alteplase	0	4 (3)	0.581

Note:

* Rounded to whole numbers.

Table 2 Acute comorbidities in the study and control groups

Acute comorbidities	Study group (n = 11) (%)*	Control group (n = 148) (%)*	P value
Cor pulmonale	4 (36)	39 (26)	0.471
Cardiac decompensation	3 (27)	15 (10)	0.084
Syncope	2 (18)	18 (12)	0.561
Hypertensive derailment	0	7 (5)	0.461
Circulatory collapse	0	4 (3)	0.581
Hypotension	0	8 (5)	0.429
Acute coronary syndrome	0	1 (1)	0.785
Thrombocytopenia	0	3 (2)	0.634
Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia	0	3 (2)	0.634
Atrial thrombus	0	4 (3)	0.581
Sepsis	0	9 (6)	0.4
Takotsubo cardiomyopathy	0	1 (1)	0.785
Bradycardia	0	2 (1)	0.699
Anemia	1 (9)	16 (11)	0.859
Bleeding in extremities	1 (9)	1 (1)	0.016
Bronchopulmonary infection	1 (9)	6 (4)	0.432
Pneumonia	0	26 (18)	0.129
Pulmonary edema	0	4 (3)	0.581
Pleural effusion	0	12 (8)	0.326
Lung atelectasis	0	6 (4)	0.496
Gastrointestinal hemorrhage	1 (9)	8 (5)	0.610
Gastritis	1 (9)	12 (8)	0.909
Esophagitis	1 (9)	6 (4)	0.432
Glucose derailment	0	1 (1)	0.785
Ileus	0	2 (1)	0.698
Gastric ulcer	0	4 (3)	0.581
Cholangitis	0	3 (2)	0.634
Constipation	0	6 (4)	0.496
Diarrhea	0	4 (3)	0.581
Ascites	0	1 (1)	0.785
Acute urinary tract infection	1 (9)	15 (10)	0.912
Acute renal failure	0	17 (11)	0.234
Overflow incontinence	0	4 (3)	0.581
Anuria	0	4 (3)	0.581
Electrolyte disturbance	0	10 (7)	0.373
Hematuria	0	2 (1)	0.698
Mental confusion	0	1 (1)	0.785
Vaginal thrush	0	1 (1)	0.785
Contusion	0	5 (3)	0.536
Exsiccosis	0	8 (5)	0.429
Erysipelas	0	2 (1)	0.698
Reanimation	0	1 (1)	0.785
Delirium	0	3 (2)	0.634
Somnolence	0	1 (1)	0.785

Notes:

* Rounded to whole numbers; Significant P value shown in bold.

Table 3 Cardiovascular risk factors in the study and control groups

Cardiovascular risk factors	Study group (n = 11) (%)*	Control group (n = 148) (%)*	P value
Hypertension	6 (55)	76 (51)	0.838
Diabetes	2 (18)	23 (16)	0.816
Hyperlipidemia	1 (9)	20 (14)	0.676
Obesity	0	10 (7)	0.373
Nicotine abuse	0	10 (7)	0.373

Note:

* Rounded to whole numbers.

Table 4 Chronic comorbidities in the study and control groups

Organ	Chronic disease	Study group (n = 11) (%)*	Control group (n = 148) (%)*	P value
Heart and circulatory diseases	Prior pulmonary embolism	1 (9)	7 (5)	0.365
	Prior deep vein thrombosis	0	8 (5)	0.649
	Congestive heart failure	1 (9)	7 (5)	0.523
	Coronary heart disease	4 (36)	31 (21)	0.234
	Hypertensive heart disease	1 (9)	5 (3)	0.337
	Valvular heart disease	3 (27)	40 (27)	0.986
	Atrioventricular block	1 (9)	1 (1)	0.016
	Dilated cardiomyopathy	0	3 (2)	0.634
	Aneurysm	0	5 (3)	0.536
	State post heart attack	0	21 (14)	0.429
	Peripheral arterial occlusive disease	0	8 (5)	0.429
	State after syncope	0	2 (1)	0.698
Total		11	138	<0.001
Lung diseases	Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease	3 (27)	22 (15)	0.275
	Bronchial asthma	0	1 (2)	0.785
	Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome	1 (9)	9 (6)	0.692
	Lung tumors	0	15 (10)	0.267
	Pulmonary emphysema	0	5 (3)	0.536
	Pulmonary fibrosis	0	8 (5)	0.429
	Pulmonary tuberculosis	0	4 (3)	0.580
	Pneumothorax	0	1 (1)	0.785
Total		4	65	0.002
Thyroid diseases	Hyperthyroidism	0	11 (7)	0.349
	Hypothyroidism	0	3 (2)	0.634
	Struma nodosa	0	5 (3)	0.536
	Strumectomy	0	3 (2)	0.634
Total		0	22	0.021
Liver diseases	Chronic hepatitis B	0	5 (3)	0.536
	Liver cirrhosis	0	1 (1)	0.785
	Liver metastasis	0	4 (3)	0.581
Total		0	10	0.0495
Gallbladder diseases	Gallbladder stones	0	5 (3)	0.536
	Cholecystectomy	0	10 (7)	0.373
	Gallbladder tumors	0	3 (2)	0.634
Total		0	18	0.0495
Gastrointestinal diseases	Esophageal cancer	0	1 (1)	0.785
	Hernia	1 (9)	6 (4)	0.432
	Appendectomy	0	5 (3)	0.536
	Colitis	0	4 (3)	0.581
	Diverticulosis	0	11 (7)	0.349
	Polypectomy	0	8 (5)	0.429
	Pancreatic tumors	0	6 (4)	0.496
	Colon tumor	0	25 (17)	0.138
	Stoma	0	2 (1)	0.698
	Fecal incontinence	0	3 (2)	0.634
Total		1	71	<0.001
Lymphatic diseases	Non-hodgkin’s lymphoma	0	5 (3)	0.536
Various organs	Cystic diseases	0	13 (9)	0.305
Total		0	18	0.121
Urogenital disorders	Renal insufficiency	4 (36)	18 (12)	0.025
	Nephrectomy	1 (9)	1 (1)	0.016
	Nephrolithiasis	1 (9)	2 (1)	0.069
	Kidney tumors	1 (9)	4 (3)	0.242
	Urinary incontinence	0	4 (3)	0.581
	Bladder tumors	0	3 (2)	0.634
	Benign prostatic hyperplasia	4 (36)	20 (14)	0.041
	Prostate carcinoma	0	8 (5)	0.429
	Epididymitis	0	1 (1)	0.785
Total		11	61	0.015
Neurological disorders	State post intracranial hemorrhage	1 (9)	3 (2)	0.149
	State post transient cerebral ischemia	0	7 (5)	0.461
	State post cerebral ischemia	0	13 (9)	0.305
	Parkinson disease	0	4 (3)	0.581
	Hydrocephalus	0	2 (1)	0.698
	Polyneuropathy	1 (9)	2 (1)	0.069
	Restless legs syndrome	0	1 (1)	0.785
	Meningioma	0	1 (1)	0.785
	Multiple sclerosis	0	1 (1)	0.785
Total		3	41	0.0006
Psychiatric disorders	Dementia	0	20 (14)	0.192
	Alzheimer’s disease	0	2 (1)	0.698
	Depression	0	5 (3)	0.536
	Various	0	9 (6)	0.400
Total		0	36	0.021
Ear nose and throat diseases	Ménière’s disease	1 (9)	3 (2)	0.149
Gynecological diseases	Hysterectomy	0	9 (6)	0.400
	Uterine polyps	0	2 (1)	0.698
	Adnexal tumor	0	3 (2)	0.634
	Ovarian cancer	0	1 (1)	0.785
	Breast cancer	0	6 (4)	0.496
	Mastectomy	1 (9)	0	0.0002
Total		2	24	0.015
Orthopedic conditions	Hip endoprosthesis	0	8 (5)	0.429
	Bone fracture	4 (36)	18 (12)	0.025
	Knee replacement	0	6 (4)	0.496
	Vertebral degeneration	3 (27)	15 (10)	0.084
	Amputation	0	2 (1)	0.698
	Rheumatism	0	8 (5)	0.429
	Osteoporosis	0	9 (6)	0.400
	Spinal stenosis	0	5 (3)	0.536
	Herniated disc	0	3 (2)	0.634
	State post fall	0	10 (7)	0.373
	Plasmacytoma	0	1 (1)	0.785
Total		7	85	0.0003
Ophthalmologic diseases	Various	4 (36)	14 (9)	0.007
Dermatological diseases	Various	0	9 (6)	0.400
	Allergy	0	4 (3)	0.581
Drug overdose		0	1 (1)	0.785
Autopsy		0	1 (1)	0.785
Total		4	29	0.037
Total diagnosis = 1289		82	1207	<0.001

Notes:

* Rounded to whole numbers; Significant P values are shown in bold.

Figure 1 Trends in rates of pulmonary embolism in the very elderly and elderly.

Figure 2 Comparison of D-dimer values in control and study groups.

Figure 3 Comparison of hospital admissions between the control and study groups.