Document Detail


Pulmonary embolism and sibilant types of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease decompensations
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  12417857     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
Pulmonary Embolism (PE) poses an important diagnostic problem in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Indeed PE may aggravate the already precarious respiratory state of these fragile patients. Moreover, these two conditions share common symptoms: dyspnoea, wheezing, pleural pain, haemoptysis, palpitations and signs of right cardiac insufficiency. In two studies, one retrospective and the other prospective, we investigated the incidence of PE in patients with non-infective exacerbations of their COPD. The retrospective study was carried out over two years and involved 50 COPD patients with non-infective respiratory exacerbations. In this population, 10 patients out of 50 (20%) had a documented PE. No predictive factor was identified. The prospective study was conducted over one year and COPD patients admitted to hospital with exacerbations were included in the study if they had a positive D-dimer blood test and no evidence of acute respiratory infection. 31 patients were studied with Doppler ultra-sound examination of the legs and a lung perfusion scan. The presence or absence of PE was determined and the two groups were compared. 9 patients out of 31 (29%) had a documented PE. Six of these nine patients had a deep venous thrombosis (DVT). Two predictive factors of PE were identified: existence of a DVT and a significant fall in PaO(2) from baseline state (DeltaPaO(2) > 22 mmHg). We conclude that PE is a frequent (20 to 30%) of non-infective respiratory decompensation in COPD patients. Faced with an unexplained respiratory exacerbation in these patients, a lung perfusion scan should be routinely undertaken to rule out a PE when the D-dimers are positive.
Authors:
D Mispelaere; J C Glerant; M Audebert; A Remond; M A Sevestre-Pietri; V Jounieaux
Publication Detail:
Type:  English Abstract; Journal Article    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Revue des maladies respiratoires     Volume:  19     ISSN:  0761-8425     ISO Abbreviation:  Rev Mal Respir     Publication Date:  2002 Sep 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2002-11-05     Completed Date:  2002-12-09     Revised Date:  2006-11-15    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  8408032     Medline TA:  Rev Mal Respir     Country:  France    
Other Details:
Languages:  fre     Pagination:  415-23     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Service de Pneumologie et Unité de Réanimation Respiratoire, Groupe Hospitalier Universitaire Sud, 80054 Amiens Cedex 1, France.
Vernacular Title:
Embolie pulmonaire et formes sibilantes des décompensations de bronchopneumopathie chronique obstructive.
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Aged
Blood Gas Analysis
Chest Pain / etiology
Dyspnea / etiology
Electrocardiography
Female
Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products / metabolism
Hemoptysis / etiology
Humans
Incidence
Male
Predictive Value of Tests
Prospective Studies
Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / complications*
Pulmonary Embolism / blood,  diagnosis,  epidemiology,  etiology*
Respiratory Function Tests
Respiratory Sounds / etiology*
Retrospective Studies
Risk Factors
Sensitivity and Specificity
Ultrasonography, Doppler
Venous Thrombosis / diagnosis,  epidemiology,  etiology
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
0/Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products; 0/fibrin fragment D
Comments/Corrections
Comment In:
Rev Mal Respir. 2002 Sep;19(4):399-400   [PMID:  12417852 ]

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