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Date of Award
Spring 2025
Degree Name
Master of Medical Science (Physician Assistant)
Department
Physician Assistant; College of Health Sciences
First Advisor
Alexia Arhontakis
Abstract
Pulmonary embolisms are estimated to affect 370,000 patients per year and result in the deaths of 60,000 to 100,000 Americans every year. PERC is an important rule used to rule out pulmonary embolism in low-risk patients. However, there are new concerns about its efficacy. When COVID-19 first emerged in 2019, scientists discovered that it caused a hypercoagulable state. PERC was developed in 2004, and thus did not include hypercoagulability from recent COVID infection in its criteria. This article seeks to determine if recent COVID-19 infection should be a part of a pulmonary embolism screening criteria and if it is still efficacious for providers to use PERC to rule out a pulmonary embolism. PERC is helpful for providers to rule out pulmonary embolism in low-risk patients. However, if hypercoagulability caused by COVID-19 puts these patients at a higher risk, it could be a dangerous mistake to ignore recent COVID-19 infection.
Recommended Citation
Allsopp, Elizabeth V., "The Efficacy of the PERC Rule in COVID-19 Positive Patients" (2025). Capstone Showcase. 36.
https://scholarworks.arcadia.edu/showcase/2025/pa/36
The Efficacy of the PERC Rule in COVID-19 Positive Patients
Pulmonary embolisms are estimated to affect 370,000 patients per year and result in the deaths of 60,000 to 100,000 Americans every year. PERC is an important rule used to rule out pulmonary embolism in low-risk patients. However, there are new concerns about its efficacy. When COVID-19 first emerged in 2019, scientists discovered that it caused a hypercoagulable state. PERC was developed in 2004, and thus did not include hypercoagulability from recent COVID infection in its criteria. This article seeks to determine if recent COVID-19 infection should be a part of a pulmonary embolism screening criteria and if it is still efficacious for providers to use PERC to rule out a pulmonary embolism. PERC is helpful for providers to rule out pulmonary embolism in low-risk patients. However, if hypercoagulability caused by COVID-19 puts these patients at a higher risk, it could be a dangerous mistake to ignore recent COVID-19 infection.