Pulmonary perfusion defects or residual vascular obstruction and persistent symptoms after pulmonary embolism: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

While the odds of having persistent symptoms was higher in patients with perfusion defects or residual vascular obstruction after acute PE, a significant proportion of these patients reported no limitations. A possible causality between perfusion defects or residual vascular obstruction and residual functional limitation therefore remains to be proven.