Abstract
Study aim: To evaluate clinical significance of C reactive protein (CRP) and MASTORA score in acute pulmonary embolism (PE).
Materials and methods: 125 consecutive patients with newly diagnosed acute PE were prospectively examined. PE was confirmed by the chest CT angiography. D-dimer, CRP level tests, echocardiography and venous ultrasonography of the legs were performed. Risk factors were also explored. PE scope was evaluated using the MASTORA score.
Results: D-dimer level <500 μg/l was seen in 4.2% cases. The probability of haemoptysis was significantly (p=0.001) higher when the pressure in the pulmonary artery was increased. Elevated CRP was found in the majority of the cases (78.4 %), but there were no associations with fever or the findings of opacities or consolidation in the chest CT scans. The higher D-dimer level significantly correlated with the overload of the right chambers of the heart (p=0.03).
The higher MASTORA score had a strong correlation with higher D-dimer level (r=0.362, p<0.0001), right heart chambers overload (p=0.006) and pulmonary infiltration (p=0.007).
PE caused the death of two (1.6%) patients.
Conclusions: D-dimer level<500 μg/l does not exclude PE, even a massive one. Haemoptysis in PE is associated with increased pressure in the pulmonary artery. The clinical significance of the CRP test and MASTORA score value is low in most acute PE cases.
- © 2014 ERS
