Left ventricular systolic dysfunction during acute pulmonary embolism

Background Heart failure increases the risk of death in acute pulmonary embolism (PE). The role of the left ventricle (LV) in acute PE is not well defined. Objective To identify the prevalence of LV systolic dysfunction, morphology, and prognosis of the LV during an acute PE. Methods Retrospective study (26-months) of patients diagnosed with an acute PE presenting with LV systolic dysfunction at the University of Maryland. Results Among 769 acute PE patients, 78 (10.5 %) had LV systolic dysfunction and 42 (53.8 %) had history of cardiac disease. Patients without history of cardiac disease were younger (mean age [SD] 54.9 [16.8] vs. 62.6 [16.6]; p = 0.04), had a higher BMI (31.2 [12.2] vs. 29.2 [7.7]; p = 0.005), and less hypertension (20 [34.5 %] vs. 38 [65.5 %]; p = 0.0005). A massive PE was most common in patients without history of cardiac disease (8[22.2 %] vs. 2[4.7 %], p = 0.02). There was no difference in clot burden, but right ventricular strain was more frequently seen in patients without history cardiac disease in the initial CT (p = 0.001). The median troponin and lactate were similar in both groups. In 41 patients with follow-up echocardiograms, improvement in LVEF% was observed in patients without cardiac history (median Δ LVEF% [IQR]; 20 [6.2–25.0]). While patients with cardiac disease did not demonstrate similar changes (median Δ LVEF% [IQR]; 0 [−5–17.5]; p = 0.01). In hospital mortality was 12.8 % with no difference between both groups (p = 0.17). Conclusion Pulmonary embolism can be associated with LV systolic dysfunction, even in patients without history of cardiac disease.