Evaluation of Pregnant Patients with Suspected Pulmonary Embolism: A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study

 Pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) is a leading cause of maternal mortality. However, diagnosis of PTE can be challenging during pregnancy, and there is no consensus regarding the best diagnostic approach.

 The current study aimed to evaluate the applicability of clinical symptoms and diagnostic tests in ruling in or ruling out PTE during pregnancy.

 In this one-year, cross-sectional, descriptive study, we evaluated pregnant or postpartum (six weeks postpartum) women suspected of PTE, who were admitted to the internal medicine intensive care units (ICUs) of hospitals (Namazi and Shahid Faghihi hospitals), affiliated with Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran, during August 2016-July 2017. The participants underwent electrocardiography (ECG), serum troponin-I and D-dimer measurements, chest X-ray, color-doppler sonography (CDS) of the lower extremity venous system, transthoracic echocardiography, pulmonary perfusion scan, or pulmonary computed tomography angiography (CTA). The participants’ clinical manifestations were also assessed.

 A total of 103 women, with the mean age of 30.37 ± 5.35 years, were included in this study. Seventy-seven women underwent pulmonary CTA or pulmonary perfusion scan. PTE was documented in nine cases. Dyspnea was the most common symptom. The respiratory rate, cough, dizziness, and fever on admission had significant correlations with the final diagnosis of PTE (P = 0.01, 0.03, 0.007, and 0.04, respectively). The ECG study of one case with PTE showed right axis deviation, while the ECG findings of the other eight cases showed no specific pattern. The chest X-ray findings had no significant correlation with the final diagnosis of PTE. Overall, 38 women underwent CDS, one of whom presented with deep vein thrombosis. The serum D-dimer level was positive in three cases with documented PTE (normal in one patient with PTE), and the serum troponin-I level was positive in one case with the final diagnosis of PTE (normal level in two patients with PTE).

 Based on the findings, clinical symptoms and biochemical tests alone are not reliable for ruling in or ruling out PTE during pregnancy, and CTA and pulmonary ventilation/perfusion scan should be performed for these cases.