Age (years), mean (SD) | 71 (8) |
Women | 39 (32%) |
Severity of COPD, mean (SD) FEV1 | |
Very severe, 0.65 (15) l | 35 (28%) |
Severe, (0.92 (0.26) l | 61 (50%) |
Moderate, (1.42(0.38) l | 27 (22%) |
Risk factors | |
Family history of deep vein thrombosis or PE | 11 (9%) |
Previous deep vein thrombosis or PE | 5 (3%) |
Known heart failure | 15 (12%) |
Paralysis | 4 (3%) |
Cancer | 6 (5%) |
Surgery within 1 month | 2 (2%) |
Immobilisation | 20 (16%) |
Hormone replacement therapy | 5 (4%) |
Other comorbid conditions | |
Hypertension | 41 (33%) |
Diabetes | 8 (7%) |
Ischaemic heart disease | 19 (15%) |
Clinical presentation | |
Chest pain | 34 (28%) |
Pleuritic | 17 (50%) |
Oppressive | 7 (6%) |
Reproduced by palpation | 2 (2%) |
Others non-pleuritic | 8 (7%) |
Cough | 106 (86%) |
Increased frequency | 79 (64%) |
Sputum | 84 (68%) |
Increased volume | 63 (51%) |
Purulent | 50 (41%) |
Syncope | 3 (2%) |
Orthopnoea | 44 (36%) |
Leg pain | 7 (6%) |
Physical examination | |
Heart rate (beats/min), mean (SD) | 99 (21) |
Respiratory rate (breaths/min), mean (SD) | 26 (6) |
Systolic blood pressure (mm Hg), mean (SD) | 150 (28) |
Diastolic blood pressure (mm Hg), mean (SD) | 83 (17) |
Temperature (°C), mean (SD) | 37.1 (0.8) |
Lung rales | 60 (49%) |
Turgescent jugular vein | 13 (11%) |
Signs of deep vein thrombosis | 1 (1%) |
Signs of chronic venous insufficiency | 25 (21%) |
Blood gas analyses | |
PH, mean (SD) | 7.43 (0.06) |
PaO2 (kPa), mean (SD) | 10.1 (6.3) |
PaCO2 (kPa), mean (SD) | 6.1 (1.6) |
Chest x ray | |
Elevated hemidiaphragm | 6 (5%) |
Band atelectasis | 10 (8%) |
Cardiomegaly | 19 (15%) |
Infiltrate (non-lobar) | 21 (17%) |
Signs of heart failure | 4 (3%) |
Abnormal ECG (right bundle branch/negative T wave/S1Q3) | 21 (17%) |