Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40387890›Full record

ArticleClinical research in cardiology : official journal of the German Cardiac Society2026

Characterizing technical success and clinical outcomes in patients with pulmonary embolism treated with ultrasound-assisted catheter-directed thrombolysis (USAT): a retrospective, single-center cohort study.

Marius Wessinger, Nadine Gauchel, Daniel Strobel, Dawid L Staudacher, Tobias Wengenmayer, Constantin von Zur Mühlen, Hans-Jörg Busch, Katrin Fink, Katharina Müller-Peltzer, Fabian Bamberg and 3 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Clinical research in cardiology : official journal of the German Cardiac Society, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Advances in thoracic ultrasound.The European respiratory journal · 2026
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Marius Wessinger *Department of Cardiology and Angiology, University Heart Center Freiburg-Bad Krozingen, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0004-3381-8578
Nadine Gauchel *Department of Cardiology and Angiology, University Heart Center Freiburg-Bad Krozingen, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
Daniel StrobelDepartment of Cardiology and Angiology, University Heart Center Freiburg-Bad Krozingen, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
Dawid L StaudacherInterdisciplinary Medical Intensive Care, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
Tobias WengenmayerInterdisciplinary Medical Intensive Care, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
Constantin von Zur MühlenDepartment of Cardiology and Angiology, University Heart Center Freiburg-Bad Krozingen, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
Hans-Jörg BuschDepartment of Emergency Medicine, University Hospital of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
Katrin FinkDepartment of Emergency Medicine, University Hospital of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
Katharina Müller-PeltzerDepartment of Radiology, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
Fabian BambergDepartment of Radiology, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
Klaus KaierInstitute for Medical Biometry and Statistics, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
Dirk WestermannDepartment of Cardiology and Angiology, University Heart Center Freiburg-Bad Krozingen, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
Christoph B OlivierDepartment of Cardiology and Angiology, University Heart Center Freiburg-Bad Krozingen, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany. Christoph.Olivier@uniklinik-freiburg.de.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundUltrasound-assisted catheter-directed thrombolysis (USAT) is a treatment option for patients with intermediate-high- or high-risk pulmonary embolism (PE). This study aimed to describe the use of USAT and its clinical outcomes.

methodsIn this single-center retrospective cohort study, all USAT procedures performed between May 2019 and June 2022 were included. Data were collected from electronic health records. The primary outcome was reduction in right vs. left ventricular diameter (RV/LV ratio). Secondary outcomes were in-hospital mortality and bleeding.

resultsA total of 107 patients underwent USAT for PE. The median age was 64 (IQR 53-75) years and 59% were male. Technical success of USAT was achieved in 105 (98%) cases. In 32 cases data on RV/LV ratio changes were available. RV/LV ratio decreased by 0.29 ± 0.19 from 1.19 (1.02-1.35) to 0.89 (0.78-1.00). 12 (11%) patients had a fatal outcome. Bleeding complications were observed in 28 (26%) patients, including 14 (13%) major bleedings and 0 (0%) fatal. Both, death and bleeding rates were significantly higher in high-risk patients.

conclusionWe observed a high technical success of USAT in patients with intermediate-high- and high-risk pulmonary embolism, along with a significant early reduction of RV/LV ratio following treatment.

Indexed as

Pulmonary EmbolismThrombolytic TherapyUltrasonography, InterventionalAgedFemaleFibrinolytic AgentsHospital MortalityHumansMaleMiddle AgedRetrospective StudiesTreatment OutcomeFibrinolytic AgentsCatheter-directed thrombolysisPulmonary embolismRight ventricular dysfunctionUltrasound-assisted catheter-directed thrombolysis

Identifiers

PMID40387890
PMCPMC12894431

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.