Evolving patterns of intracranial hemorrhage in advanced therapies in patients with acute pulmonary embolism

Dissecting trends and contributing risk factors for intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) in patients treated for acute pulmonary embolism (PE) may allow for a better patient selection for existing and emerging treatment options. The German nationwide inpatient sample was screened for patients admitted due to PE 2005–2020. Hospitalizations were stratified for the occurrence of ICH; risk factors for ICH and temporal trends were investigated. Overall, 816,653 hospitalizations due to acute PE in the period 2005–2020 were analyzed in the study. ICH was reported in 2516 (0.3 %) hospitalizations, and time trend analysis revealed a fluctuating but overall, largely unchanged annual incidence. There was an increase of ICH with age. Patients with ICH had a higher comorbidity burden (Charlson-Comorbidity-Index [CCI], 5.0 [4.0–7.0] vs. 4.0 [2.0–5.0]; P