Background: Residual perfusion defects (RPD) are common after pulmonary embolism (PE), but their impact on Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) and physical capacity is not well known.

Aims: The aim of this study was to explore differences in HRQoL and physical capacity between PE-survivors with and without RPD.

Methods: The study cohort is a part of the PE REHAB-trial (NCT03405480), an ongoing randomised controlled trial investigating the effect of pulmonary rehabilitation in patients with persistent dyspnea after PE. Patients aged 18-75 years with a history of PE within 6-72 months, confirmed by computed tomography pulmonary angiography, were included in the present study. Patients with significant cardiopulmonary comorbidities or diagnosed chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension were excluded. Participants (n=274) performed ventilation/perfusion (V/Q) scintigraphy and the Incremental Shuttle Walk Test (ISWT) to assess physical capacity. V/Q scintigraphy were deemed either positive or negative, according to the European Association of Nuclear Medicine criteria. In addition, participants completed the Euroqol 5-level (EQ5D5L) and Pulmonary Embolism Quality of Life-questionnaires. Data are presented as median and interquartile range, and analyses were performed using Mann-Whitney U-test.

Results: RPD were present in 71/274 (26%). Hypothyroidism was more prevalent in those with RPD, but otherwise there were no significant differences regarding demographic data or comorbidities. Patients with RPD had significantly reduced exercise capacity compared to those without, median ISWT distance 660 vs 805 meters, p-value 0.01. Apart from reduced EQ5D visual analogue scale (71 vs 65 points, p-value 0.02) in patients with RPD, there were no differences in other measurements of HRQoL.

Conclusion(s): RPD are common after PE and are associated with impaired physical capacity. EQ5D visual analogue scale was the only measurement of HRQoL being slightly reduced in this cohort.

Table 1

Demographic data, comorbidites, HRQoL and physical capacity between those with residual perfusion defects -RPD- and those without RPD after PE. Data are presented as median and interquartile range unless stated otherwise.

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ISTH Congress Abstracts - https://abstracts.isth.org/abstract/health-related-quality-of-life-and-physical-capacity-in-patients-with-residual-perfusion-defects-after-pulmonary-embolism/