| Patients n (%) | |
| Clinical characteristics | |
| Age >65 yrs | 235 (77) |
| Male | 139 (46) |
| Risk factors for VTE | |
| Cancer | 63 (21) |
| Surgery | 27 (8.9) |
| Immobility for ≥4 days | 71 (23) |
| Previous VTE | 36 (12) |
| Comorbid diseases | |
| Chronic lung disease | 21 (6.9) |
| Congestive heart failure | 20 (6.6) |
| Clinical presentation at admission | |
| Syncope | 43 (14) |
| Chest pain | 120 (39) |
| Dyspnoea | 225 (74) |
| Altered mental status | 0 (0) |
| Heart rate ≥110 beats·min−1 | 46 (15) |
| Arterial oxyhaemoglobin saturation <90% | 64 (21) |
| Respiratory rate ≥30 breaths·min−1 | 19 (6.2) |
| SBP <100 mmHg | 5 (1.6) |
| sPESI risk classes | |
| Low risk | 54 (18) |
| High risk | 250 (82) |
Patients were classified as Pulmonary Embolism Severity Index (PESI) risk class III at the time of hospital admission. VTE: venous thromboembolism; SBP: systolic blood pressure; sPESI: simplified PESI.