INFLUENCE OF CARDIOPULMONARY DISEASE ON RESOLUTION OF PULMONARY-EMBOLISM - A MATHEMATICAL-MODEL TO PREDICT REMAINING DEFECTS AT 6 MONTHS

Recovery of lung perfusion after pulmonary embolism (PE) is conditione d by several factors. The aim of this study was to analyze the differe nces of reperfusion after PE between patients with and without preexis ting cardiopulmonary disease, and to develop a mathematical model to p redict, at diagnosis, the size of defects in lung perfusion scan at 6 months after treatment. We included 83 patients with diagnosis of PE i n a non-concurrent cohort study (cohort I: 26 with preexisting cardiop ulmonary disease, and cohort II: 57 without previous cardiopulmonary d isease). Lung perfusion scan was performed at diagnosis, 7-10 days aft er treatment and at 6 months. The defect size was quantified following a numerical score. The recovery of perfusion after 7-10 days was 33% in cohort I and 45% in cohort II, and 50% and 72%, respectively, at th e last control at 6 months. A multiple-regression analysis was perform ed using the final size of defects at 6 months (y) as the dependent va riable, and the defect size at diagnosis (x) and the presence of preex isting cardiopulmonary disease (z) as independent variables. The regre ssion equation was y = 1.29 + 0.15x + 2.98z. We conclude that: (1) in patients with cardiopulmonary diseases, the remaining defects at 6 mon ths were larger; (2) at diagnosis, using a mathematical model, it is p ossible to predict the size of the defects in lung perfusion scan at 6 months in patients with or without previous cardiopulmonary disease.