Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42234536›Full record

ArticleInterdisciplinary cardiovascular and thoracic surgery2026

Outcomes of EKOS (Ultrasound-Assisted Thrombolysis) for Intermediate-High-Risk Pulmonary Embolism: A PERT-Guided Cohort Study.

Mohammed N H E Ali, Rashad Zayat, Nima Hatam, Johannes Greven, Jasper Nies, Ahmed F A Mohammed, Alexander Kersten, Nikolaus Marx, Michael Dreher, Yusuf Shieba and 2 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Interdisciplinary cardiovascular and thoracic surgery, 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. 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

12 authors.

Mohammed N H E AliDepartment of Cardiac Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH University Hospital, Aachen 52074, Germany.
Rashad ZayatDepartment of Cardiac Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH University Hospital, Aachen 52074, Germany.ORCID 0000-0003-2243-8743
Nima HatamDepartment of Cardiac Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH University Hospital, Aachen 52074, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-4466-9959
Johannes GrevenDepartment of Thoracic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH University Hospital, Aachen 52074, Germany.ORCID 0000-0003-2856-4804
Jasper NiesDepartment of Thoracic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH University Hospital, Aachen 52074, Germany.
Ahmed F A MohammedDepartment of Cardiac Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH University Hospital, Aachen 52074, Germany.
Alexander KerstenDepartment of Cardiology, Pneumology, Angiology, and Intensive Care, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH University Hospital, Aachen 52074, Germany.
Nikolaus MarxDepartment of Cardiology, Pneumology, Angiology, and Intensive Care, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH University Hospital, Aachen 52074, Germany.ORCID 0000-0001-6141-634X
Michael DreherDepartment of Pneumology and Intensive Care Medicine, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen 52074, Germany.
Yusuf ShiebaDepartment of Cardiac Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH University Hospital, Aachen 52074, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-0565-7795
Jan SpillnerDepartment of Thoracic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH University Hospital, Aachen 52074, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-9759-1892
Sebastian KalverkampDepartment of Thoracic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH University Hospital, Aachen 52074, Germany.ORCID 0000-0001-5357-759X

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesAcute intermediate-high-risk pulmonary embolism (PE) is associated with right-ventricular (RV) dysfunction, biomarker elevation, and risk of early clinical deterioration. Ultrasound-assisted catheter-directed thrombolysis (USAT) using the Eko Sonic Endovascular System (EKOS) system is increasingly used in selected patients; however, real-world data on physiological response and clinically relevant in-hospital outcomes remain limited.

methodsWe conducted a retrospective single-centre analysis of 128 consecutive patients with acute intermediate-high-risk PE treated with EKOS-guided USAT within a structured Pulmonary Embolism Response Team (PERT) pathway between August 2017 and December 2023. Changes in RV/LV ratio, B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), and cardiac troponin before and after intervention were assessed. A composite end-point of death, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), renal replacement therapy, or invasive mechanical ventilation captured clinically meaningful deterioration. Multivariable logistic regression identified determinants of the composite end-point.

resultsRV/LV ratio and biomarkers improved significantly after intervention. Median RV/LV ratio decreased from 1.6 to 1.0, and BNP declined from 2365 to 877 pg/mL (both P < .001). Clinically meaningful in-hospital deterioration requiring escalation of organ support occurred in a subset of patients and was predominantly associated with baseline disease severity. Short-term survival remained favourable (60-day probability 96.9%).

conclusionsIn this real-world, PERT-guided cohort, EKOS was associated with rapid physiological improvement and favourable short-term survival in patients with intermediate-high-risk PE. These findings should be interpreted as descriptive single-centre experience.

Indexed as

Fibrinolytic AgentsPulmonary EmbolismThrombolytic TherapyUltrasonography, InterventionalAgedFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedRetrospective StudiesTreatment OutcomeFibrinolytic Agentscatheter-directed thrombolysisEKOSpulmonary embolismpulmonary embolism response teamright-ventricular dysfunction

Identifiers

PMID42234536
PMCPMC13278780

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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.