Incidence of Pulmonary Embolism among Hospitalized Patients

Abstract

Introduction

Hospitalization is one of the most important factors influencing the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) [1 2] . Hospitalized patients are at greater risk for developing VTE because the risk of pulmonary embolism (PE) increases with acute illness and co-morbidity [3 4] .

Studying the incidence of acute PE among hospitalized patients is important for estimating the disease burden and for understanding the background of PE; this in turn may affect treatment strategies and aid in prevention. Furthermore, comparing the incidence of PE among hospitalized patients in Asian societies with that among hospitalized patients in Western societies may provide insight into the disease process in different ethnic groups.

Previous studies have shown that the estimated incidence of PE is lower in Asian societies compared with Western societies [5 6] . Evidence from population-based studies shows that the prevalence of VTE varies among different racial groups [7] . However, the incidence of VTE among hospitalized patients of different races remains largely undefined. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of acute PE among hospitalized patients in a Korean general hospital and to compare this with the incidence among patients in North American hospitals.