Tricuspid annulus plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) has superior predictive value compared to right ventricular to left ventricular ratio in normotensive patients with acute pulmonary embolism.

Background: Right ventricular dysfunction (RVD) is an indicator of poor prognosis in normotensive patients with acute pulmonary embolism (APE). The aim of this study was to compare right ventricular (RV)/left ventricular (LV) ratio measured by echocardiography and multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) with tricuspid annulus plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) as a prognostic factor of APE-related 30-day mortality.

Methods: We examined 76 patients with confirmed APE, hemodynamically stable at admission. We evaluated the prognostic value of RV/LV ratio in the apical 4-chamber view and TAPSE measured at echocardiography and the MDCT RV/LV ratio.

Results: Thirty-day APE-related mortality was 10.5% (8 patients). The area under the curve (AUC) for TAPSE in the prediction of APE-related mortality was higher (p < 0.00001) (0.905, 95% CI: 0.828-0.983) than the AUC of the echo RV/LV ratio (0.427, 95% CI: 0.183-0.672) and MDCT RV/LV ratio (0.371, 95% CI: 0.145-0.598). In univariable Cox analysis, TAPSE was the only significant mortality predictor, with hazard ratio (HR) 0.73 (95% CI: 0.62-0.87, p = 0.0004). In multivariable Cox analysis TAPSE was the only significant mortality predictor, with HR 0.62 (95% CI: 0.46-0.85; p = 0.003), while age, heart rate, and RV/LV ratio in echo or MDCT were non-significant. TAPSE ≤ 15 mm was a significant predictor of APE-related mortality, with HR 26.2 (95% CI: 3.2-214.1; p = 0.002), PPV 44% and NPV 98%.

Conclusions: The TAPSE is preferable to echo and MDCT RV/LV ratio for risk stratification in initially normotensive patients with APE. The TAPSE ≤ 15 mm identifies patients with an increased risk of 30-day APE-related mortality.