Contemporary Clinical Management and Course of ACUTE Pulmonary Embolism: The COPE Study

Background. New management strategies, risk stratification procedures and treatments have become available over the last years for patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE), leading to changes in clinical practice and potentially influencing patient's course and outcome.

Methods: The COntemporary management of Pulmonary Embolism (COPE) is an academical prospective, non-interventional, multicentre study in patients with confirmed acute symptomatic PE. In-hospital and 30-day mortality were the co-primary study outcomes. At first evaluation, patients were categorized at low-risk (simplified PESI [sPESI]=0), intermediate-risk (further classified based presence/absence of increased levels and right ventricle dysfunction [RVD] at echocardiography) and high-risk (shock or cardiac arrest).

Results. Among 5213 study patients, PE was confirmed by computed tomography in 96.3% and at least one test for risk stratification was obtained in more than 80% (81% echocardiography, 83% troponin, 56% brain natriuretic peptide/NT-pro BNP). Among 4885 patients entering the Emergency Department for acute PE, 1.2% were managed as outpatients and 5.8% by short-observation. In-hospital, 289 patients underwent reperfusion (5.5%); at discharge, 6.7% received a vitamin K antagonist and 75.6% a direct oral anticoagulant. Median duration of hospitalization was 7 days (IQR 5-12 days).

Overall in-hospital mortality was 3.4% (49% due to PE, 16% cancer and 4.5% major bleeding) and 30-day mortality 4.8% (36% PE, 28% cancer and 4% major bleeding). In-hospital major bleeding was 2.6%.

Death at 30 days occurred in 22.6% of 177 high-risk patients, in 6% of the 3281 intermediate-risk and in 0.5% of 1702 low-risk patients. Time to death at 30 days in patients at low, intermediate and high risk for death is reported in the Figure.

Conclusions: COPE is the largest ever cohort of patients with acute PE. In this contemporary scenario, the majority of patients received CT for diagnosis, at least one test for risk stratification and direct oral anticoagulants as long-term treatment. Short term death remains not negligible in patients with high and intermediate-risk PE.

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