Catheter-Directed Therapy for the Management of Intermediate-High-Risk and High-Risk Pulmonary Embolism: Experience from a Single-Centre in Portugal

Abstract

Background:

Acute pulmonary embolism (PE) is a significant cause of morbimortality. Epidemiological data in Portugal are limited, potentially leading to underdiagnosis. Catheter-directed therapy (CDT) is a promising alternative treatment, particularly for high-risk patients.

Objectives:

To evaluate the impact of CDT on intermediate-high-risk and high-risk acute PE.

Methods:

This is a retrospective single-centre study conducted from 2019 to 2023 in Portugal. Data included patient demographics, clinical presentation, procedural characteristics, and outcomes. Comparisons before and after the procedure were carried out, using two-sided paired Student´s T-test or McNemar´s test. P-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results:

Among the 21 patients included in this study, the mean age was 62.5 (±16.8) years and 57% (n = 12) were female. Bilateral PE was predominant (n=18, 86%), with fifteen patients (75%) classified as high-risk PE and five (25%) as intermediate-high-risk PE. Overweight (n = 12, 57%), hypertension (n = 9, 45%), dyslipidaemia (n = 8, 40%), immobility (n = 4, 20%), and active cancer (n=3, 14%) were prevalent comorbidities. The median Charlson Comorbidity Index score was 3.5 (IQR 1.2–4.0). Two-thirds (n = 10, 67%) of the patients with high-risk PE exhibited contraindications to systemic fibrinolysis, while one-third (n = 5, 33%) had previously undergone failed thrombolysis. CDT improved hemodynamic parameters, significantly reducing the right ventricular (RV) dysfunction after the procedure (72.2% vs 23.5%, p=0.008). There was a low incidence of bleeding complications, with only one patient (5%) experiencing life-threatening haemorrhage. Despite these improvements, in-hospital mortality remained high (n = 5, 24%). No deaths occurred within three months post-discharge.

Conclusions:

Despite being in its early stages, CDT showed encouraging results in improving hemodynamic and clinical parameters in intermediate-high-risk and high-risk acute PE patients. Larger trials are warranted to further evaluate its efficacy and establish its role in treatment protocols.