Use of pulse oximetry to predict in-hospital complications in normotensive patients with pulmonary embolism

A simple method is needed to risk stratify normotensive patients with pulmonary embolism. We studied whether bedside clinical data can predict in-hospital complications from pulmonary embolism. We performed a multicenter derivation phase, followed by validation in a single center. All patients were normotensive; the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism was established by objective imaging. Classification and regression analysis was performed to derive a decision tree from 27 parameters recorded from 207 patients. The validation study was conducted on a separate group of 96 patients to determine the derived criterion's diagnostic accuracy for in-hospital complications (cardiogenic shock, respiratory failure, or death). Mortality in the derivation phase was 4% (n = 8) at 24 hours and 10% (n = 21) at 30 days. A room-air pulse oximetry reading