Calc Function

    • Calcs that help predict probability of a diseaseDiagnosis
    • Subcategory of 'Diagnosis' designed to be very sensitiveRule Out
    • Disease is diagnosed: prognosticate to guide treatmentPrognosis
    • Numerical inputs and outputsFormula
    • Med treatment and moreTreatment
    • Suggested protocolsAlgorithm

    Disease

    Select...

    Specialty

    Select...

    Chief Complaint

    Select...

    Organ System

    Select...

    Patent Pending

    Wells' Criteria for Pulmonary Embolism

    Objectifies risk of pulmonary embolism.
    When to Use
    Pearls/Pitfalls
    Why Use

    The Wells’ Criteria risk stratifies patients for pulmonary embolism (PE) and provides an estimated pre-test probability. The physician can then chose what further testing is required for diagnosing pulmonary embolism (I.E. d-dimer or CT angiogram).

    The Wells’ Criteria risk stratifies patients for pulmonary embolism (PE), and has been validated in both inpatient and emergency department settings. Its score is often used in conjunction with d-dimer testing to evaluate for PE.

    • There must first be a clinical suspicion for PE in the patient (this should not be applied to all patients with chest pain or shortness of breath, for example).
    • Wells' can be used with either 3 tiers (low, moderate, high) or 2 tiers (unlikely, likely). We recommend the two tier model as this is supported by ACEP’s 2011 clinical policy on PE. (See Next Steps)
      • Wells’ is often criticized for having a “subjective” criterion in it (“PE #1 diagnosis or equally likely”)
    • Wells’ is not meant to diagnose PE but to guide workup by predicting pre-test probability of PE and appropriate testing to rule out the diagnosis.
    • The Wells’ Score has been validated multiple times in multiple clinical settings.
      • Physicians have a low threshold to test for pulmonary embolism.
      • The score is simple to use and provides clear cutoffs for the predicted probability of pulmonary embolism.
      • The score aids in potentially reducing the number of CTAs performed on low-risk PE patients.
    No
    0
    Yes
    +3
    No
    0
    Yes
    +3
    No
    0
    Yes
    +1.5
    No
    0
    Yes
    +1.5
    No
    0
    Yes
    +1.5
    No
    0
    Yes
    +1
    No
    0
    Yes
    +1

    Result:

    Please fill out required fields.

    Next Steps
    Evidence
    Creator Insights
    Dr. Phil Wells

    From the Creator

    Dr. Wells on use of his scores for MDCalc:

    The model should be applied only after a history and physical suggests that venous thromboembolism is a diagnostic possibility. it should not be applied to all patients with chest pain or dyspnea or to all patients with leg pain or swelling. This is the most common mistake made. Also, never never do the D-dimer first [before history and physical exam]. The monster in the box is that the D-dimer is done first and is positive (as it is for many patients with non-VTE conditions) and then the physician assumes that VTE is now possible and then the model is done. Do the history and physical exam first and decide if VTE is a diagnostic possibility!

    Dr. Wells on testing in medicine for MDCalc:

    The importance of Clinical pretest probability is underutilized in medicine. Recognizing the power of a simple concept, derived essentially from Bayes theorem, that discordance between the clinical PTP and the test result should raise suspicion of a false negative test (if high PTP) or false positive test (if low PTP), we sought to derive prediction rules for suspected DVT and for suspected PE. Used appropriately these rules will improve patient care.

    About the Creator

    Phil Wells, MD, MSc, is a professor and chief of the Department of Medicine at The University of Ottawa. He is also on the faculty of medicine and a senior scientist at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute. Dr. Wells researches thromboembolism, thrombophilia and long term bleeding risk in patients on anticoagulants.

    To view Dr. Phil Wells's publications, visit PubMed

    Are you Dr. Phil Wells? Send us a message to review your photo and bio, and find out how to submit Creator Insights!
    MDCalc loves calculator creators – researchers who, through intelligent and often complex methods, discover tools that describe scientific facts that can then be applied in practice. These are real scientific discoveries about the nature of the human body, which can be invaluable to physicians taking care of patients.
    Content Contributors
    About the Creator
    Dr. Phil Wells
    Are you Dr. Phil Wells?
    Content Contributors