Pulmonary embolism--a long-term follow-up
Macintyre, D.; Banham, S.W.; Moran, F.
Postgraduate Medical Journal 58(678): 222-225
1982
ISSN/ISBN: 0032-5473 PMID: 7111102 Document Number: 196074
Patients (53) without preexisting cardiac or pulmonary disease were reviewed 5-9 yr after angiographically proven pulmonary embolism. Ten of the 42 patients (24%) with an initial predisposing factor for embolism died, including 6 from a previously diagnosed medical condition. In this group there was no significant residual disability among survivors and no late recurrence of embolism. By comparison, there were 6 deaths among the 11 in whom no predisposing factor was identified (55%), including 3 from neoplasm and 2 from recurrent embolism with cardiac failure. The identification of a predisposing factor at the time of embolism was associaed with a significantly better long-term prognosis.