Comparison of long‐term outcomes of 50 and 100 mg rt‐PA in the management of acute pulmonary thromboembolism

Background Pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) is a life‐threatening disease. In this study, we aimed to evaluate long‐term outcomes of the use of 50 mg recombinant tissue‐type plasminogen activator (rt‐PA) in the management of PTE in terms of relapse, pulmonary hypertension (PH), mortality and hemorrhage and to compare with the use of 100 mg rt‐PA. Methods The study was designed as a retrospective cohort. Patients who were diagnosed as acute PTE and received either 50 or 100 mg rt‐PA in a tertiary care hospital between 2010 and 2015 were included in the study. Rates of relapse, PH, mortality (in‐hospital and long‐term) and hemorrhage (major and minor) were calculated for each treatment group. Results A total 117 patients, 73 females and 44 males, were evaluated. Eighty‐three patients were administered 100 mg rt‐PA, and 34 were administered 50 mg rt‐PA. The mean age was lower in the 100 mg group compared to the 50 mg group (61 ± 15 vs 69 ± 14 years). There was a significant decrease in PH in each group at 3 months follow‐up (P