MORTALITY, EXPENSE AND LENGTH OF STAY WITH LOCAL VERSUS SYSTEMIC THROMBOLYSIS IN PULMONARY EMBOLISM: AN ANALYSIS OF FIVE YEARS OF THE NATIONWIDE INPATIENT SAMPLE DATABASE

Background: Data are sparse and inconsistent regarding whether local thrombolytic therapy (by placement of central venous catheters) reduces mortality, expense or hospital stay in comparison with systemic administration of thrombolytics with acute pulmonary embolism (PE). Methods: In-hospital all-cause mortality according to local versus systemic administration of thrombolytics was determined in patients with pulmonary embolism who were discharged from short-stay hospitals throughout the United States from 2008 to 2012 by using data from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample.