# Short-term Clinical Deterioration After Acute Pulmonary Embolism

> **NIH AHRQ R01** · CAROLINAS MEDICAL CENTER · 2020 · $293,962

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
Our long-range goal is to improve the quality and safety of care provided to patients presenting
to emergency departments nationwide with pulmonary embolism, resulting in improved health
outcomes for this patient population. The objective of this application is to compare right
ventricular dysfunction dependent and independent prognostic models for short-term serious
adverse events in pulmonary embolism patients. We have initiated a pilot study at Carolinas
Medical Center and will be working with six other academic emergency medicine departments
participating in the Pulmonary Embolism Short-term Clinical Outcomes Registry.
The target population will be emergency department (ED) patients with confirmed acute
pulmonary embolism (PE) within 12 hours of ED presentation. The overall goal of the registry is
to optimize risk stratification of ED patients with acute PE to identify patient need for hospital-
based monitoring and interventions within five days of PE diagnosis. The primary outcome will
be a composite of death, delayed circulatory or respiratory dysfunction, hypoxia, and
reperfusion intervention within five days of PE diagnosis. Secondary outcomes will be nonfatal
bleeding, recurrence of venous thromboembolism, and hypoxia requiring oxygen
supplementation.
Specific aims are: 1) determine the incidence of death, circulatory and respiratory deterioration,
and administration of reperfusion therapy within five days of PE; 2) determine functional
outcomes 30 days after PE using the Pulmonary Embolism Quality of Life questionnaire; 3)
evaluate the sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative likelihood ratios of each RVD
assessment tool for clinical deterioration within five days of PE; and 4) derive a prediction model
for clinical deterioration within five days of PE diagnosis.
Our proposed research addresses AHRQ priority areas 1 and 2. By achieving the proposed
aims, we will improve early identification of PE severity and empower healthcare professionals
and patients to make informed, time-sensitive decisions based on need for hospital-based
support and monitoring following PE diagnosis.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9989849
- **Project number:** 5R01HS025979-03
- **Recipient organization:** CAROLINAS MEDICAL CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** Anthony J Weekes
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** AHRQ
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $293,962
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-09-30 → 2021-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9989849

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9989849, Short-term Clinical Deterioration After Acute Pulmonary Embolism (5R01HS025979-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9989849. Licensed CC0.

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