Disproportional increase of pulmonary embolism in young females in Germany: trends from 2005 to 2014

We analysed the number of pulmonary embolism (PE) in young females aged 10–39 years in the period from 2005 to 2014 in Germany to see any trends that possibly may reflect some influences of newer oral contraceptives. Detailed lists of all hospitalized cases with the principal diagnosis PE coded as I26 in the years 2005–2014 were provided by the Federal Statistical Office. In males, the absolute number of all hospitalized cases with the principal diagnosis PE increased from 16,066 in 2005 to 25,364 in 2014 (rate +57.8%) and in females from 21,548 to 29,433 (rate +36.5%). The annual differences in PE between males and females decreased from 5482 to 4069 (−26%) in this period. In the age group of 10–39 years the absolute number of all hospitalized male cases increased from 1023 in 2005 to 1276 in 2014 (+24.7%) and in females from 1341 to 1949 (rate +45.3%). Thus in contrast to the overall trend the annual difference in PE rose gradually by 112% (from 318 to 673) from 2005 to 2014. Our ecologic nationwide analysis of hospitalization rates for PE shows that the annual differences between males and females cases hospitalized with the principal diagnosis PE in general decreased, but increased in the age group of 10–39 years in the last decade.