Predicting PE would enable a better understanding of the physiological mechanisms responsible for this disease. It would also permit the identification of an at-risk population and consequently ease the set up of clinical trials. Over 12,000 articles have been published on this subject. Critical review of the literature reveals that none of the investigations, performed individually, bears sufficient predictive value. However, it appears that the current tendency is to apply a combined approach associating clinical, ultrasonographic and biological factors.
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