Mortality, hospital discharges, and case fatality for pulmonary embolism in the Twin Cities: 1980-1995

Pulmonary embolism (PE) causes substantial morbidity and mortality, but lit tle information is available regarding recent secular trends for PE. This s tudy determined trends for PE in adults ages 30 to 84 years in the Minneapo lis-St. Paul metropolitan area from 1980 to 1995, The age-adjusted mortalit y rate for PE decreased approximately 50% during the study period; the rate ratio (RR) for 1992-95 compared to 1980-83 was 0.41 in men [95% confidence interval(CI) 0.31-0.55] and was 0.60 in women (95% CI 0.46-0.79). The hosp ital discharge rate for PE also decreased from 1980-83 to 1988-91 (RR 0.69, 95% CI 0.63-0.76 in men; RR 0.72, 95% CI 0.66-0.78 in women), but increase d slightly between 1988-91 and 1992-95. The case fatality rate for PE decre ased approximately 60% during the period (RR 0.38, 95% CI 028-0.51 in men; RR 0.37, 95% CI 0.28-0.50 in women). The PE trends were paralleled by decli ning hospital discharge rates for phlebitis and thrombophlebitis. These dat a support a changing natural history or Possible improvements in the preven tion, diagnosis, and treatment of PE between 1980 and 1995. (C) 2000 Elsevi er Science Inc. All rights reserved.