CLINICAL IMPORTANCE OF AADO(2) AND PULMONARY-ARTERY PRESSURE AS PREDICTED BY PULSED DOPPLER-ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY AT BEDSIDE IN DIAGNOSING PULMONARY-EMBOLISM

The authors evaluated clinical importance of alveolar-arterial Po-2 di fference (AaDo(2)) and pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) estimated by pu lsed Doppler echocardiography in 31 patients with pulmonary embolism ( PE). Echocardiographic estimates from flow velocity patterns in the ri ght ventricular outflow tract showed significant correlation with actu al measurements obtained by right cardiac catheterization. Furthermore , PAP as obtained by pulsed echocardiography was significantly higher in acute massive and recurrent multiple groups in comparison with the acute submassive group. AaDo(2) was greatest in the acute massive grou p, followed by the recurrent multiple group, and then by the acute sub massive group. These results suggest that analyses of AaDo(2) and the echocardiographic estimation of PAP at bedside are successful in the d iagnosis and classification of PE.