Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a potentially fatal condition among hospitalised patients, with a prevalence of approximately 1.0%. PE is associated with high morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to identify patient characteristics and risk factors related to the development, recurrence, and mortality of PE in hospitalised patients at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital (SQUH), Muscat, Oman. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study was conducted at SQUH, involving patients diagnosed with PE during admission between January 2015 and December 2019. Data were collected from electronic patient records, including demographic details, comorbidities, risk factors and healthcare outcomes. Pulmonary Embolism Severity Index (PESI) scores were calculated. Statistical analyses were performed to identify predictors of mortality and recurrence of PE. RESULTS: A total of 192 patients diagnosed with PE were included in this study; 16.7% died during the index admission. Older age, higher PESI scores, central venous access and autoimmune disease were significant independent predictors of inpatient mortality. The recurrence rate of PE was 9.5% during the follow-up period, with no significant association between patient characteristics and recurrence. This study also highlighted the prevalence of risk factors such as reduced mobility, recent hospitalisation, obesity and infection among the cohort. CONCLUSION: This research contributes to the knowledge of PE recurrence, mortality and associated risk factors. Hypertension, diabetes and chronic heart failure are common comorbidities in PE patients. Older age, higher PESI scores, central venous access and autoimmune disease were significant predictors of mortality.