Patent ID: 8444932

Claim:
A device for classifying a subject suffering from pulmonary embolism into one of a pulmonary embolism severity risk group: Risk Group I, symptomatic non-massive PE, haemodynamic stable without right ventricular dysfunction (systolic arterial pressure >100 mmHg); Risk Group II, submassive PE, haemodynamic stable with right ventricular dysfunction; Risk Group III, massive PE, shock and hypotension (systolic arterial pressure <100 mmHg), heart rate >100/min; and Risk Group IV, resuscitation necessary, the device comprising: means for determining an amount of D-dimer in a sample from the subject, means for determining an amount of NT-proBNP in a sample from the subject, means for determining an amount of troponin T in a sample from the subject, implemented rules for comparing the determined amounts of D-dimer, NT-proBNP, and troponin T to reference amounts for D-dimer, NT-proBNP, and troponin T, respectively, the reference amounts existing as stored values, and implemented rules for classifying the subject into one of said pulmonary embolism severity risk groups on the basis of the comparisons, and means for implementing the rules, wherein said stored reference amounts include reference amounts of D-dimer from 500 to less than 2000 μg/L, troponin T less than 0.03 ng/ml, and NT-proBNP less than 500 pg/ml that are indicative for Risk Group I; reference amounts of D-dimer from 2000 to less than 6000 μg/L, troponin T less than 0.03 ng/ml, and NT-proBNP less than 500 pg/ml that are indicative for Risk Group II; reference amounts of D-dimer from 6000 to 12000 μg/L, troponin T greater than 0.1 ng/ml, and NT-proBNP equal to or greater than 500 pg/ml that are indicative for Risk Group III; and reference amounts of D-dimer greater than 12000 μg/L, troponin T greater than 1.0 ng/ml, and NT-proBNP greater than 5000 pg/ml that are indicative for Risk Group IV.