Pulmonary embolism: epidemiological data and diagnosis in Kinshasa hospitals

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary embolism (PE) is common but difficult to diagnose.OBJECTIVE: To describe the epidemiological, clinical and paraclinical characteristics of PE in Kinshasa hospitals.METHOD: This was a retrospective study in 158 cases with suspected PE.RESULTS: The prevalence of PE was 37% among...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	The international journal of tuberculosis and lung disease Vol. 21; no. 8; pp. 875 - 879
Main Authors:	Bakebe, A., Kashongwe, I., Mulenga, C., Tshiasuma, M., Kabengele, B., Bisuta, S. F., Makulo, J. R., Kashongwe, Z., Kayembe, J-M.
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	France International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease 01-08-2017 International Union against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (IUATLD)
Subjects:	Abnormalities Adult Aged Angiography Anticoagulants Anticoagulants - administration & dosage Cardiac arrhythmia Chest Chest Pain - epidemiology Chest Pain - etiology Computed tomography Computed Tomography Angiography - methods Cough Cough - epidemiology Cough - etiology Democratic Republic of the Congo - epidemiology Diagnosis Dimers Dyspnea Dyspnea - epidemiology Dyspnea - etiology Echocardiography Electrocardiography Embolism Embolisms Epidemiology Female Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products - metabolism Health risk assessment Heart Hospitals Humans Immobilization Kinshasa Lungs Male Middle Aged Pain Patients Prevalence Prognosis Pulmonary arteries Pulmonary Embolism Pulmonary Embolism - diagnosis Pulmonary Embolism - epidemiology Pulmonary Embolism - physiopathology Pulmonary embolisms Respiration Retrospective Studies Risk analysis Risk Factors Severity of Illness Index Surgery Tachycardia Thromboembolism Thrombosis Ventricle
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Summary:	BACKGROUND: Pulmonary embolism (PE) is common but difficult to diagnose.OBJECTIVE: To describe the epidemiological, clinical and paraclinical characteristics of PE in Kinshasa hospitals.METHOD: This was a retrospective study in 158 cases with suspected PE.RESULTS: The prevalence of PE was 37% among cases with suspicion of the disease. Male sex was predominant (55%). The mean age was 55 ± 15 years. The main risk factors were obesity (53%), immobilisation (43%) and surgery (14%). The main symptoms were dyspnoea (98%), cough (59%), chest pain (43%) and unilateral limb pain (36%). Tachypnoea (88%), tachycardia (53%) and signs of deep-vein thrombosis (36%) were the main clinical presentations. Lung examination was normal in 55% of the patients. PE prevalence in the 'PE likely' category based on the Wells score was 53%. Levels of D-dimers were elevated in all patients. Sinus tachycardia (72%), S1Q3T3 pattern (30%) and T-wave inversion in V1-V4 (34%) were the main electrocardiographic abnormalities. Chest X-ray was normal in 30% of patients. Right ventricular pressure overload was detected in 58% of patients who had access to echocardiography. Computed tomography pulmonary angiography was performed in 65% of patients. All patients were treated with anticoagulants; no cases received thrombolytics. Patients who died (7%) were all in class III-V according to the Pulmonary Embolism Severity Index prognostic score.CONCLUSION: PE is common in Kinshasa, with characteristics similar to those reported in the literature.
Bibliography:	1027-3719(20170801)21:8L.875;1- (R) Medicine - General ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23
ISSN:	1027-3719 1815-7920
DOI:	10.5588/ijtld.16.0418