@article{article_1767564, title={Role of repeat pulmonary angiography and D-dimer testing in pulmonary thromboembolism evaluation among COVID-19 patients}, journal={Journal of Medicine and Palliative Care}, volume={6}, pages={520–525}, year={2025}, author={Ensarioğlu, Kerem and Yurtseven, Aynur and Yılmaz Aydın, Yasemin and Kurt, Bahar}, keywords={Bilgisayarlı Tomografi Pulmoner Anjiyografi, D-Dimer, Acil Tıp, Pulmoner Emboli}, abstract={Aims: Pulmonary thromboembolism (PE) is a life-threatening condition in pulmonary medicine. It is commonly diagnosed in emergency medicine via computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA). D-dimer is a well-established diagnostic marker for PE, and repeated imaging and testing are often part of follow-up protocols. This study investigates whether the presence or severity of PE influences the need for repeated imaging and D-dimer testing among patients diagnosed with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-2019). Methods: The study included patients evaluated in the emergency department for PE and were then on routine follow-up at one week, one month, three months, and six months. PE diagnoses were confirmed by CTPA and categorized by severity. Results: Of the 149 patients, 55.7% were diagnosed with PE, with most cases being severe. Over six months, the mortality rate was 6.7%. Repeat CTPA was done in 67.1% of patients, but severity did not correlate with repeat imaging frequency. D-dimer levels decreased over time except in patients with recurrent PE. High initial D-dimer was associated with PE diagnosis but did not influence subsequent imaging requests. Conclusion: D-dimer levels are reduced over time in patients without confirmed PE, implying a reduced need for repeat imaging if levels are low. Variations in repeat testing practices suggest over-testing may occur, influenced by clinical judgment rather than guidelines. D-dimer levels did not significantly impact repeat CTPA requests, and severe PE cases did not require more frequent imaging among patients diagnosed with COVID-19. Routine repeat imaging may not be necessary in patients with declining D-dimer levels post-initial evaluation.}, number={5}, publisher={MediHealth Academy Yayıncılık}