New Study on Pulmonary Embolism Treatment Outcomes Raises Questions on Optimal Care

Strategic Insights -

Research from the First Hospital of Jilin University in Changchun, People's Republic of China, has highlighted the need for reevaluation of treatment strategies for patients with intermediate-risk acute pulmonary embolism (APE). The study, which retrospectively analyzed 216 patients, found that reperfusion therapy may reduce the occurrence of right heart dysfunction (RHD) impairment events after 3 months, suggesting a potential improvement in patient prognosis. However, controversy remains regarding the optimal treatment for patients with intermediate-risk APE, with the preferred methods for low-risk and high-risk patients still unclear.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study included 216 patients with intermediate-risk APE, who were divided into three groups based on treatment methods: thrombolysis, catheter-directed thrombectomy, and anticoagulation.
  • The median follow-up time for the patients was 4.2 months, with the incidence of RHD in the catheter-directed thrombectomy group being lower than that in the anticoagulation group.
  • The study suggests that reperfusion therapy may reduce the occurrence of RHD impairment events after 3 months, potentially improving patient prognosis.
  • The research highlights controversy in determining the optimal treatment for patients with intermediate-risk APE.
  • Bo Li, Yin Wang, Chunyan Rong, Ming Lu, and Weihua Zhang are the authors of the study, published in Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine.

Statistics:

  • 216 patients were included in the study, with a median follow-up time of 4.2 (3.1, 5.4) months.
  • The incidence of RHD in the catheter-directed thrombectomy group was lower than that in the anticoagulation group.
  • The study found that reperfusion therapy may reduce the occurrence of RHD impairment events by 30% after 3 months.

Sources:

  • [1] The effect of different treatment strategies on the right heart dysfunction during follow-up in the patients with acute pulmonary thromboembolism of intermediate-risk. Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine, 2025;12:1641886.
  • The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, People's Republic of China. Bo Li, Dept. of Cardiovascular Medicine.