TAPSE is preferable to the RV/LV ratio for risk stratification in initially normotensive patients with APE. TAPSE ≤15 mm identifies patients with an increased risk of 30-day APE-related mortality, whereas TAPSE >20 mm can be used for identification of a very low-risk group.

To externally validate the prognostic impact of copeptin, either alone or integrated in risk stratification models, in pulmonary embolism (PE), we performed a analysis of 843 normotensive PE patients prospectively included in three European cohorts.Within the first 30 days, 21 patients (2.5%, 95% CI 1.5-3.8) had an adverse outcome and 12 (1.4%, 95% CI 0.7-2.5) died due to PE. Patients with copeptin ≥24 pmol·L had a 6.3-fold increased risk for an adverse outcome (95% CI 2.6-15.5, p<0.001) and a 7.6-fold increased risk for PE-related death (95% CI 2.3-25.6, p=0.001). Risk classification according to the 2014 European Society of Cardiology (ESC) guideline algorithm identified 248 intermediate-high-risk patients (29.4%) with 5.6% (95% CI 3.1-9.3) at risk of adverse outcomes. A stepwise biomarker-based risk assessment strategy (based on high-sensitivity troponin T, N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide and copeptin) identified 123 intermediate-high-risk patients (14.6%) with 8.9% (95% CI 4.5-15.4) at risk of adverse outcomes. The identification of patients at higher risk was even better when copeptin was measured on top of the 2014 ESC algorithm in intermediate-high-risk patients (adverse outcome OR 11.1, 95% CI 4.6-27.1, p<0.001; and PE-related death OR 13.5, 95% CI 4.2-43.6, p<0.001; highest risk group all other risk groups). This identified 85 patients (10.1%) with 12.9% (95% CI 6.6-22.0) at risk of adverse outcomes and 8.2% (95% CI 3.4-16.2) at risk of PE-related deaths.Copeptin improves risk stratification of normotensive PE patients, especially when identifying patients with an increased risk of an adverse outcome.

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Copeptin (COP) was reported to have prognostic value in various cardiovascular diseases. We hypothesized that COP levels reflect the severity of acute pulmonary embolism (PE) and may be useful in prognostic assessment. Plasma COP concentrations were measured on the Kryptor Compact Plus platform (BRAHMS, Hennigsdorf, Germany). The study included 107 consecutive patients with diagnosed acute PE (47 males, 60 females), with median age of 65 years (range 20-88). High risk PE was diagnosed in 3 patients (2.8 %), intermediate risk in 69 (64.5 %), and low risk PE in 35 (32.7 %) patients. Control group included 64 subjects (25 males, 39 females; median age 52.5 year, range 17-87). Four patients (3.7 %) died during 30-day observation. Complicated clinical course (CCC) was experienced by 10 (9.3 %) patients. COP level was higher in PE patients than in controls [11.55 pmol/L (5.16-87.97), and 19.00 pmol/L (5.51-351.90), respectively, p < 0.0001], and reflected PE severity. COP plasma concentration in low risk PE was 14.67 nmol/L (5.51-59.61) and in intermediate/high risk PE 19.84 mol/L (5.64-351.90) p < 0.05. Median COP levels in nonsurvivors was higher than in survivors, 84.6 (28.48-351.9) pmol/L and 18.68 (5.512-210.1) pmol/L, respectively, p = 0.009. Subjects with CCC presented higher COP levels than patients with benign clinical course 53.1 (17.95-351.9) pmol/L and 18.16 (5.51-210.1) pmol/L, respectively, p = 0.001. Log-transformed plasma COP was the significant predictor of CCC, OR 16.5 95 % CI 23.2-111.9, p < 0.001. AUC-for prediction of CCC using plasma COP was 0.811 (95 % CI 0.676-0.927). The COP cut off value of 17.95 nmol/l had sensitivity of 100 %, specificity 49.5 %, positive predictive value of 16.9 % and negative predictive value of 100 %. We conclude that plasma COP levels can be regarded for promising marker of severity of acute PE and show potential in risk stratification of these patients.

IntroductionBalloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA) is a new emerging catheter-based alternative treatment option for patients with inoperable chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH).AimTo show that all elderly CTEPH patients referred for BPA are at higher risk of obstructive coronary artery disease and that, in daily practice, they should undergo invasive coronary angiography.Material and methodsEleven patients at the age of at least 65 years (6 males, 5 females, 77.2 ±5.9 years) with confirmed non-operable type II or type III CTEPH, considered for BPA, underwent elective coronary angiography. Severe obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) was diagnosed when stenosis of left main coronary artery ≥ 50% or stenosis of ≥ 70% of epicardial arteries was angiographically confirmed. We also screened for CAD consecutive age- and sex-matched 114 PE survivors (52 males, 62 females, 74.8 ±7.2 years) with excluded CTEPH.ResultsSevere CAD was more frequent in elderly patients with non-operable type II or type III CTEPH candidates for BPA than in elderly acute PE survivors with excluded CTEPH (54.5% vs. 16.7%, p < 0.01), and therefore elderly CTEPH patients referred for BPA were at higher risk of CAD (OR = 5.9, 95% CI: 1.64–21.46, p = 0.007) when compared to elderly survivors after acute PE with excluded CTEPH.ConclusionsAll elderly CTEPH patients referred for BPA are at higher risk of severe CAD and should routinely undergo invasive coronary angiography before BPA.