Diagnosing pulmonary embolism: a comparison of clinical probability scores

作者:Hogg Kerstin*; Thomas Deborah; Mackway Jones Kevin; Lecky Fiona; Cruickshank Kennedy
来源:British Journal of Haematology, 2011, 153(2): 253-258.
DOI:10.1111/j.1365-2141.2011.08575.x

摘要

P>Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a major cause of community and in-hospital mortality. This study aimed to compare the performance of the British Thoracic Society (BTS) score to the Wells' score in diagnosing PE. Data from two separate prospective diagnostic PE studies were analysed. All patients underwent gold standard investigation to determine the presence or absence of PE, together with a 3-month follow-up. The posttest prevalence of PE was compared using both scores and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Seven hundred and seventy-nine patients were consented and investigated for PE. In patients with pleuritic chest pain, respiratory rate < 20 breaths/min and absence of dyspnoea, 4 center dot 0% [95% confidence interval (CI) 1 center dot 9-7 center dot 9%] had PE. The BTS score allocated 463/779 patients as low probability, compared to 565/779 according to the Wells' score. Both scores identified a low risk group in the Manchester Investigation of Pulmonary Embolism Diagnosis cohort, however the BTS low probability group in the Thromboembolism Assessment and Diagnosis study had a prevalence of 9 center dot 7% (95% CI 5 center dot 8-15 center dot 9%). For the BTS score, the areas under the ROC curves were 0 center dot 67 (95% CI 0 center dot 61-0 center dot 72) and 0 center dot 71 (95% CI 0 center dot 61-0 center dot 75). For the Wells' score these were 0 center dot 76 (95%CI 0 center dot 71-0 center dot 81) and 0 center dot 68 (95%CI 0 center dot 64-0 center dot 73). Given the lack of BTS validation studies to date, the Wells' score appears to be the safer assessment option.

  • 出版日期2011-4