OBJECTIVES: To analyze the anticoagulation therapy of patients with pulmonary embolism (PE) among the population with urban basic health insurance in China in 2014.

METHODS: This retrospective analysis identified patients diagnosed with PE in 2014 in the China Health Insurance Research Association (CHIRA) claims database, which is the largest nationwide claims database in mainland China. All of the patients were included if they were aged 18 years and older and their diagnosis included PE based on the ICD-10 codes or the physician’s notes. Patients’ demographic characteristics, prescription drug information and healthcare expenses were also collected from the database. Descriptive statistics of anticoagulation prescription were conducted.

RESULTS: A total of 475 PE patients with 1090 hospital visits were identified in 2014 (mean age of 65.87 ± 14.62 years, 47.2% male). Of all patients’ hospital visits, 74.1% were outpatient treatment and 25.9% were inpatient treatment.Of all inpatient visits, 52.1% didn’t receive any anticoagulant therapy, 14.5% received low-molecular-weight (LMWH) and warfarin, 7.8% received unfractionated heparin (UFH) only, 5.3% received LMWH only, 5.3% received warfarin only, 4.3% received LMWH and UFH, 3.5% received UFH and warfarin and 7.1% received other anticoagulant drugs.Of all outpatient visits, 66.3% didn’t receive any anticoagulant therapy, 28.8% received warfarin only, 1.9% received LMWH only, 0.4% received UFH only, 0.1% received LMWH and warfarin, as well as 2.5% received other anticoagulant drugs.

CONCLUSIONS: More than half of PE patients’ hospital visits didn’t receive any anticoagulant treatment. For PE patients with inpatient treatment, LMWH and warfarin was the most used anticoagulant treatment; while, for PE patients with outpatient treatment, warfarin was the most used anticoagulant treatment.