The simplification of the management of patients with a suspicion of pulmonary embolism (PE) has led to an increase in PE suspicion, but also a decrease in PE prevalence from 50% to 20% of patients suspected of PE. The co-existence of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) may mimic PE symptoms leading to a decrease of PE suspicion. The first step of the management of PE suspicion is the assessment of the clinical probability, for example with the Geneva Rule. We have shown that clinician may predict 3-month mortality and readmission rate if they return to the Geneva Rule results, even if PE has been confirmed or ruled out. It may help the clinician to propose an outpatient management or a hospitalization. Moreover, we have found that PE was the more frequent form of venous thromboembolism (VTE) presentation in COPD patients, although it is Deep Venous Thrombosis (DVT) in non-COPD patients. This point is crucial as COPD patients with VTE have a decreased survival with more frequent bleeding than non-COPD patients. When focusing on COPD patients, those presenting with PE were at higher risk of dying and bleeding than those presenting with DVT during the 3-month follow-up. A more efficient treatment but without an increase in the bleeding risk is needed
