CIRCADIAN-RHYTHM OF PULMONARY-EMBOLISM IN PATIENTS WITH ACUTE SPINAL-CORD INJURY

Thrombotic events with a circadian rhythm have been described during the past several years, with onset of myocardial infarction and stroke predominating in the morning hours.1,2 Recently, a circadian rhythm for pulmonary thromboembolism has been reported; the onset of these events also prevailed in the morning hours.3 Patients with spinal cord injury are known to be at risk for pulmonary embolism during the early course of their paralysis.4 Because all of the patients with acute spinal cord injury are a hospitalized population in whom the onset of pulmonary embolic events can be observed and documented, we examined the issue of a circadian rhythm for pulmonary embolism. © 1992.